


Blood (Critical Role Mafia AU)

by MaukusNoise



Series: Blood (Critical Role Mafia AU) [1]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Amnesia, Blood and Violence, CriticalRoleAU, Drinking, F/F, F/M, Gen, Hangover, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Lucien - Freeform, M/M, Mafia AU, MafiaAU, Mafianein, Mollymauk - Freeform, Mollymauk/Lucien, Multi, Other, Raven Queen - Freeform, Twins, Violence, VoxMachina, Yasha - Freeform, mafia, mightyNein, mollymauktealeaf, vax'ildan - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-12
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-02-22 12:16:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 40,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22682701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaukusNoise/pseuds/MaukusNoise
Summary: Nicodranas is a city run by powerful smugglers, criminal masterminds underground gangs. Though the Tomb Takers were scattered over 2 years ago, Lucien Tealeaf 'Peacock' is still climbing the ladder to success. He is hounded by a past he cannot remember ever since someone made an attempt on his life.The older Tealeaf twin, Molly 'Bloodhunter,' spiralled into a pit of doped-out numbness in the aftermath of Luciens assassination. Despite having his brother back, things are not the same anymore and he is tumbling further down with Cree.Yasha stands strong beside them both, pulling Bloodhunter out of dumpsters and making sure Lucien actually gets some sleep.Into their lives waltzes a string of new faces.Quiet, humble Caleb.A dark haired man with a flurry of raven feathers.Dangerously beautiful Avantika.Vicious snarling Lorenzo, who knows Molly in ways he begs no one will ever discover.And... A storm from the ocean... A man with an empire of wealth and criminal connections under his belt...Uk'otoa....This can only end poorly....
Relationships: Avantika/Mollymauk, Captain Avantika/Fjord (Critical Role), Captain Avantika/Mollymauk Tealeaf, Captain Avantika/Yasha (Critical Role), Cree & Lucien (Critical Role), Cree & Mollymauk Tealeaf, Cree/Lucien (Critical Role), Fjord/Uk'otoa (Critical Role), Lucien & Mollymauk Tealeaf, Lucien/Caleb Widogast, Mollymauk Tealeaf & Yasha, Mollymauk Tealeaf/Caleb Widogast, Mollymauk Tealeaf/Uk'otoa, Mollymauk Tealeaf/Vax'ildan, Raven Queen (Dungeons & Dragons) & Vax'ildan (Critical Role), Raven Queen (Dungeons & Dragons)/Mollymauk Tealeaf/Vax'ildan, Raven Queen (Dungeons & Dragons)/Vax'ildan (Critical Role), Uk'otoa/Mollymauk Tealeaf, avantika/uk'otoa
Series: Blood (Critical Role Mafia AU) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1631701
Comments: 19
Kudos: 51





	1. What's In A Name?

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is based on an RP a group of cosplayers have going on our discord server.  
> I'm mostly posting for my own fun, and as I am playing 'BloodHunter' I have to edit everything to be from just his point of view.  
> This is a MafiaAU so there WILL be violence, drug use, booze, sex etc.  
> Nothing too explicit though.

Mol opened his eyes just a smidge. Something was bright. Something was too damn bright. The fuck was that?  
His mouth tasted of iron. 

“Helloooo?”  
He cried out into wherever in the world he’d wound up this time.

His voice echoed.  
It bounced off tiles and clanged back into his head. 

...Fuuuuuck…

He sat up.

CRACK

“Fuuuuuckk!”  
The top of his head had collided with taps.

Molly was in a bath.  
Again...

“...Caleb?!”  
Nah, there was no way he’d got that lucky.

“Uh... Gorgeous?!”  
Maybe he had hooked up and whoever it was could be somewhere nearby.

Nothing.

Okay, time for the most likely option.

“YAAAASHHH?!”

A door slammed open somewhere down the corridor. Here she comes.  
Mol shifted around, trying to clamber out. But his legs wouldn’t move properly. He shuffled onto his elbows, blinking back the haze leftover from the night before, and glared.

“Oh you prick.”

[Text to: ‘Poncy Fucker’  
“OI!!! Mornin u fuckr!! Guessin u know sumthin bout THIS?!!!!”]

Mol snapped a photo of the heavy combat boots now on his feet and hit send.

He didn’t hear the door of the ensuite open as he began to wrestle with the triple-knotted laces. He attempted to stand but slipped and skidded on the wet porcelain.

“Fuckin’ BOOTS!!!”

A low chuckle came from the doorway. Molly looked up and saw Yasha looking infuriatingly clean and sober. Her white shirt was crisp like she’d only just put it on. Her braids were soft cascading down her back. Her eyebrow was raised as she eyed her best friend. She seemed to be having real difficulty keeping a straight face.

“Yash! Help?”  
Molly adopted his puppy dog look, pouting his lips in a sad frown at her.

Yasha just smiled.  
“They are good boots. I don’t want to ruin them.”

Mol threw a shampoo bottle at her.  
“I don’t WEAR SHOES!!”  
It had been years. The circus had only solidified Mol's reserve. He could jump into practice any time he felt like it. Up onto a rope or the silks. He could fly any time he wanted. Because nothing pinned him to the ground. That, and he'd given his last pair to-

The taller, broader, angelic woman leaned to the side and watched the bottle fly past her into the bedroom.  
“You suit them.” She said simply. Mocking him with her calm.

Vvvvvvvtttttt, vvvvvvttttt

Molly grabbed his phone off the bottom of the bathtub.

[Text from: ‘Poncy Fucker’  
“I don’t know what you’re talking about :P  
Its about time you got some actual footwear.”]

Snorting, Mol shoved the phone into his back pocket and staggered out of the bath. Yasha continued to stand annoyingly still, watching him career past her and into the bedroom. It looked the same as every other bedroom in the casino. Silver-grey walls with some abstract floral art piece hung dead centre over the double bed. Rich thick blankets folded back on top of perfect sheets lay untouched, neatly tucked in at the corners. 

So he hadn’t fooled around with anyone in here then.

Mol waddled across the pearly carpet and smacked a few of the throw pillows onto the floor. He never could wrap his head around them. Why did this place need hundreds of extra pillows you didn’t even USE, when everything else was already decorated to the nines!

He stomped to the door and flung it open, stepping out into a corridor he vaguely recognised. Gold flecked through deep burgundy paper running the length of the hall, lit every few paces by carved lamps dangling from the creamy ceiling. They all looked the damn same. Where was that prick’s bedroom again? Mol rubbed his eyes. Black khol liner smudged on his palms, some crusty blood too.

Huh.

He didn’t remember a fight. Gods, what did he remember of last night?  
Mol contemplated as he shuffled towards the stairs at the far end of every floor.  
Yasha followed behind. Ever his shadow. Mol knew she was laughing at him. He knew he looked a sight. Biting back the desire to heave, Mol dragged his feet and took out his phone again.

[Text to: ‘Poncy Fucker’  
“I cnt WALK!!”]

Then, a minute further down the corridor.

[“seriously y do ppl wear these!?!”]

30 seconds after that.

[“ohhh I hope ur in a compromising situation u fuck!!!”]

As he began taking the stairs two at a time, tripping and flailing to grab at the banister, Mol fired off another.

[“GET THESE OFF ME!”]

Coming to a halt when he reached the top floor, Mol yanked a crumpled pack of fags from his other pocket and a lighter from the turn-up of his jeans. They were bright turquoise, torn up across both knees and ridiculously tight. He lit up and inhaled, taking several long deep breaths.

“Yash stop laughing, I know you are!”

The woman came alongside him, remnants of a chuckle still evident on her face.  
“Rough one was it?”

Mol shot her a withering look, which she fired straight back at him, as he fumbled to light a second cigarette even thought he first was not halfway finished.  
“s’nothin’ okay?” He mumbled. “I just hate these fuckin’ boots an-”  
The previous evening was a blur of playing at the Lavish Chateau, shots, slammers, secret bathroom deals and then nothing. Blissful, glorious nothing. But wait. Hold up. Something else stuck out through the mess. A face. Pale as snow. Blood red lips. Had he met someone? Had he done something?  
Well, jee that sure didn’t narrow it down...

Mol pushed it from his mind as he punched in the code for the penthouse floor. Double doors clicked and he barrelled through them, immediately colliding with a trolley and tumbling to the ground. Plates and cleaning supplies wobbled precariously above him but by some miracle did not fall.

A call came from inside the suite,  
“Everything alright out there?”

Mol didn’t reply. His eye had been caught by a thick steak knife lying in the sticky residue on one of the plates. He seized it and began hacking at the tangled knotted bootlaces, cursing under his breath in that strange language only two people in the multiverse understood.  
Yasha stood by, offering her apologies to the cleaning lady for disturbing her work.

“HA!” Mol chucked the knife aside and heaved off the dreaded boots.  
Yasha snorted. Mol looked up at her as he got to his feet, deliciously bare on the amber carpet.  
“It must have been a bad one if you don’t remember.” She told him pointedly.  
That Yasha look was back in her eyes and Molly knew he was in for it. “You got us banned for a month. Again. Marion said she’s cancelled our next three shows and is waiting on your apology.”

Mol grunted.

“You smashed up half the bar, Mol. Caused a heap of damages. You’re lucky she’s so forgiving. And rich enough to replace it all.”

Mol swept into a deep low bow.  
“Tha’s me isn’t it! Lucky, lucky me!”

“Luck always runs out, Mol.” Yasha warned him. “You keep going like this, you’re living on borrowed time.”

“Shut the fuck up!” Mol snapped.  
That face washed into his mind again. Emotionless features, blank like a mask. Black hair hung in a wave. Death red lips.

Yasha did not argue with him, which only enraged Mol more. He began to yell, screaming at the face before him that in those moments did not belong to his friend at all. She saw him. She was there. She was coming.  
“Just quit it, okay?! I heard it all before! An’ I know you’re as sick of tellin’ me as I am of hearin’ you fuckin’ say it so can we just-”

“Could you maybe not shout? I do have guests in the rooms downstairs.”  
A familiar voice cut across Molly’s outburst.

The wisps of memory faded away as Mol turned, rounding on the man now striding towards them down the hallway.  
“Didn’t you like your boots? I figured they matched the rest of your aesthetic.”

“You fuckin’ arrogant, poncy, prick!” Mol snarled. “They’re goin’ to the first homeless guy I see. Oh how IS Caleb, by the way? Saw you gettin’ cosy last night.”

“Why? Are you jealous?”

Molly narrowed his eyes as the pair reached one another. He stared daggers at the man in front of him. Red eyes stared back. The same peacock feathers tattooed a trail down both of their right cheeks, ending in a swirl at their collarbones. The same lavender curls mirrored his own, sweeping down past their ears. Although the man stood at exactly his height had more recently washed; his clean waves smelled of fruits. The two men looked the same. Identical as they had been since birth, but not now. Not ever again.

“Fuck off, Luc.” Molly hated using that name now. But he couldn’t stop. It fell from his lips without conscious thought. Lucien. His Lucien. But his Luc wasn’t here anymore. 

This man was left in his stead. “Sorry, PEACOCK.” Mol corrected himself with a bite of sarcasm.

“Apology accepted, BloodHunter.” Peacock replied, switching to their alias's without missing a beat. “I hope he hasn’t been giving you too much flak, Yasha?”

Yasha shook her head.  
“I made sure to have a drink before I went looking for him.”

Peacock nodded.

“You got that job for us or not?” Mol demanded. “I’m dangerously close to bein’ bored.”

“I do, yes. And I shall tell you all about it after you’ve had a shower.” Peacock looked Molly up and down. “And changed your clothes too. Gods, haven’t you been wearing those for a week straight?” 

Mol picked at his baggy black vest. It was almost as shredded as his jeans, and stains in varying shades of alcohol and blood littered both. He offered Peacock a noncommittal shrug and said,

“Fine. Be back in an hour.”  
With that, Molly turned on his heel and stalked off, scooping up the discarded boots as he walked away from his twin. 

*


	2. Don't Stop Me Now!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An Alternative Universe Mafia setting, featuring characters from Critical Role campaigns 1 & 2.  
> Yasha tries to clean Molly up. Peacock gives them a job.   
> Molly causes a scene...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is based on an RP a group of cosplayers have going on our discord server.   
> I'm mostly posting for my own fun, and as I am playing 'BloodHunter' I have to edit everything to be from just his point of view.  
> This is a MafiaAU so there WILL be violence, drug use, booze, sex etc.  
> Nothing too explicit though.

“YASH IMMA KILL YOU!”

Molly spluttered from the cubicle. He was naked. He was wet. He was pissed off. And now, he was covered in shampoo.

The tall warrior of a woman stood balanced on the toilet, one foot pinning the shower door closed as warm water sprayed down onto Molly while he scrambled for release. Then he felt more cold sludgy liquid land on his head and he raised a middle finger up towards the jets of water, blindly yelling,

“Yaaaashhhh!”

“Rub it all in, Mol, I can see you know!” She called down at him, leaning her elbows on the top of the cubicle walls. 

“Fuck sake!”

Mol scrubbed his scalp and continued to swear in every colourful phrase he could think of until the water ran clear and his entire body smelt of Yasha’s vanilla bean bath product.

With a smirk, Yasha let him out and threw him a towel. Molly rubbed himself dry and stepped over to the floor length mirror, flicking lilac curls out of his eyes with a frown.

A pale man, nearing 6ft stared back. The twins had reddened eyes, blood-splotched across each iris, their old colour lost. Mol blinked slowly, pulling at his eyelids, examining them. Whatever that gas had been, it was fucking nasty. He remembered that whole night like a bleary dream. Luc had been so adamant, so certain. Mol had gone too without question. It would work. They’d be running the city in no time. The Tomb Takers had everything they needed and everything was going according to Lucien’s plan. But then, sirens. Nowhere to hide underground. Just desperate scrambling for the one door. Smoke. He’d thought the cops had set the building on fire. Smoke them out. But no. No it was worse. Some newfangled tear gas or something. They’d never found out what. Cops always hated them. It hurt too. Burning their eyes. The twins were the last ones out. Mol had thrown Luc ahead of him and slammed the door. Then they’d run. Run until their vision cleared and everyone had scattered. All that was left were four crimson blood-shot eyes. 

But that fitted with the rest of him. ‘Junkie aesthetic,’ Luc called it. Mol was thin. He’d always been wirey, and perhaps that was his saving grace now. He wasn’t yet wasting away. Though there was a greyish tinge to his lips, the lobes between rows of earrings and beneath the scuffed polish on his fingernails. 

Mol turned, dropping the towel, to examine the bruise on his side. 

“Where th’fuck..?”

He’d been fighting. Of course.

The fresh deep navy arced across his ribs, meeting the sketched poppies all down Mol’s right side. They ran in abstract patterns from the midst of his armpit all the way down his leg to curl around his ankle. Mol had covered himself in inked pictures. The peacock feathers on his cheek, he shared with Lucien, but the rest were their own. Luc had a handful, Mol had many. Some he had long forgotten the meaning of; like on his back- the logo of a band he’d met in a dingy club, and a laughing face with ‘Funny’ scrawled near his elbow. Others were just thoughts, moments or ideas. Roses on his feet, bees on his knees, a snake coiled around his arm, twin guns draped in beads slid down his stomach onto his crotch, suits of cards littering his left arm. Then there were the important ones. Snapshots of circus performers down his left thigh, front and back. ‘Yasha’ was inked in swirling letters across his calf, and ‘Lucien’ spiralled down his right wrist underneath the snake. Reminders of home. What used to be home. What never would be again.   
His favourites were the quotes scribbled across half of his chest. They were all from Romeo & Juliet. He’d seen it once at a theatre down town, and loved the crazy way they all talked. He’d gone out to find a copy of the script and struggled through it in private for weeks. Then he’d taken the best parts and had them etched into his skin. 

Kicking the towel aside, Molly released his reflection from his gaze and strode out into casino bedroom 26 which was on permanent reserve for him. 

It was, as always, a tip.

The wardrobe stood empty while his clothes were scattered across almost every inch of floor space. Stickers he’d plastered on the window obscured the view over Nicodranas and most of the light. Hair ties and bandanas sat on each surface, but there was no sign of a hairbrush or any deodorant. Molly picked up a black khol pencil and chalked around his eyes, finishing with a swirl of glittering gold. 

Then he began rifling through the clothes.

“Something clean, Mol.” Yasha directed. 

Molly waved a nonchalant hand in her direction and continued his search through a heap. Eventually he found what he wanted. A pair of bright pink jeans torn at both knees. They sat low on his hips, showing off the guns inked down his stomach. Of course he didn’t bother with shoes, but he did pull on a black vest. It had the word ‘Chaos’ printed all over it.

*

Yasha nudged Molly through the door. He’d been attempting to straighten his wet hair between his fingers. No joy. So he threw on a bandana to keep it off his face and headed straight for the mini bar in the corner. 

The office was as well put-together as Peacock himself. Polished wood surfaces, colour pops of modern art on the walls, long high windows and of course the man himself. Molly eyed the expensive waistcoat with swirls of lavender and the white silk shirt. 

‘Poncy prick.’ He thought.

But he still found himself wishing his twin well. He detested himself for it, but it was what Mol had always wanted. It was the reason why he’d dragged his twin out the window with him one clear night 14 years ago. He wanted more for them both, but he wanted the best for Lucien. Well, now it seemed he had it. Mol should be glad for his twin. Right?

He pushed these thoughts aside. Fuck it. He would be happy for Luc. 

He would.

He’d try.

Lucien was sitting at his desk pouring over emails. Mol recognised the look of determination as his twin concentrated through the words. Neither of them had graduated high school. They had vanished out the window just before their 16th Birthday, scuppering all plans for final exams. Reading had always been tricky too. The words jumbled and letters were always in the wrong places. The twins had muddled through enough on charm and bullshit, but neither had actually properly learnt to read.   
Yasha took the seat opposite Peacock. Mol yanked open the mini bar and grabbed himself a bottle. 

“You can pay for that.” Peacock instructed his brother.

“I got cash. Don’ have a paddy.” Mol threw a handful of notes at the desk, struck the cap off the bottle on the windowsill and took a long sip. 

“So, this job.” Peacock turned the laptop to face the other two. Mol ignored the screen and continued to drink. Yasha scanned the message. 

“Essentially,” Peacock explained, crimson eyes watching Mol, “A client is looking for someone to cause a distraction in a gallery while they steal a painting. I thought it was rather up your street.”

Mol snorted.  
“How much?”

“More than enough to keep you shot-up to your eyeballs for a few months. Although, knowing you, you’ll most likely blow through it in a couple of weeks.”

Mol slammed the bottle down on the desk.  
“You don’ know me.” He snarled.

“Boys!” Yasha cut across them, clipping Mol round the ear. 

“Ow!” He jerked out of her reach.

“When?” Yasha addressed Peacock. 

“Tonight. The Foster Gallery. They want it at 8pm sharp. Which means you must be there on time.”

“Gotcha.” Mol got up. “Laters.”

He made for the door, but Peacock called him back.   
“As always, there can be nothing connecting me to this. Make sure you wear a-"

“Disguise, yeah yeah I know I know.”   
Mol rolled his eyes and pulled the door open.   
“As always, Nicodranas will stay blissfully ignorant that there’s fuckin’ two of us.”  
With a wave of his middle finger, Mol left the office.

…

[Text to: ‘Featherbrains’  
“got fun stuf. Hedin 2 glry. keep eye on locl news.”]

[Text to: ‘Featherbrains’  
“fuk it. Goin 4 natonal news!”]

[Text from: ‘Featherbrains’  
“what do u mean fun stuff? what th fuck did u do?”]

Molly sends back a photo of himself with his tongue sticking out, stood across the road from the gallery. He adjusts the tartan earflaps on the new hat and zips up the grey hoodie, then heads round to the side to meet Yasha.

“Arright, so we got like half an hour. Usual plan, right? If shit hits the fan, let ‘em arrest me then come bail me out. Cool?”

Mol looked nothing like himself. He’d dabbed concealer over the peacock tattoo, and although he still had bare feet, the overall effect was successful. 

Yasha sighed, looking resigned.  
“Sure. You have ID too, right?”

Molly nodded.

“Yuup! I’m a student at the art college! Taliesin Jaffe, pleased to meetcha!”  
He swept into a low bow.

Yasha snorted.  
“Right then. You go ahead. I’ll stay back and keep an eye on-"

But Molly had already bounded away.

*

The gallery was ablaze with lights, and full of people. Mol swiped a fancy pencil as he passed the gift shop, pocketing it and ploughing on through the crowds.   
He trusted Yasha to be following. She was always there.   
He waved through the people until he reached the grand foyer. There were no paintings in there, so Mol reasoned that this must be a good place. He tapped away on his phone, and jumped up on his tiptoes to set a portable mini speaker on top of a statue. 

Then he hit Play: Epic Mix!  
‘Tonight, I’m gonna have myself a real good time...’

Heads began to turn as Mol turned the volume up to full. The little device packed a wallop! Grinning, he clambered under the barrier ropes keeping the public back from a collection of Greek statues. 

‘I feel aliiiive, and the world I’ll turn it inside out...’ 

Mol didn’t notice Yasha edging closer through the crowds gathering to stare, her eyes fixed on the security guards slowly circling. Still grinning, Mol bounded between the statues and began to sing along loudly, whipping a pair of rainbow poi out of the hoodie pocket which he twirled around in the air as he danced along. 

...need to get high... HA! Not the first time I thought that today!

Mol looked around and spotted the large spiralling staircase winding around the wall of the main foyer, and dangling low from the ceiling in the middle... A chandelier. 

Bingo.

By the end of the first chorus, Mol was darting up the banisters and gaining speed. Every face below was turned towards his antics, and the attention spurred him on.   
He could almost see the stripes on the big top, almost taste the glitter in the air, almost see Lucien’s face as the twins swung out over the cheering crowd.

Mol jumped.

He landed in the midst of the chandelier. It creaked and rocked violently. There were shouts from the crowd below. Phones flashed, pointed directly at Molly.

Then he had an excellent idea.

Lowering himself down, Molly shimmied on his stomach until he was dangling upside down off the side of the crystals and lights. Then he swirled the poi below him and bellowed,  
“Don’t stop me nooow! I’m havin’ such a good tiiiime!” 

Out of the corner of his eye he spotted two figures in dark clothes slipping through a side door, carrying a long thin bag.

But like hell was he stopping, not until he made headlines! Molly twisted in the air, spinning the chandelier with him in a whirl of colours and singing and-

And a crowd was chanting. And the spotlights were shining. And Molly held Lucien’s hand in his hand. And they were unstoppable. 

“Two hundred degrees, that’s why they call me Mister Fahrenheit! I’m travelling at the speed of liiiiighhht!” 

Something snapped.

“Woooahhh shit!” The hat slid off Molly’s head.

Yasha appeared suddenly. A surge of thunder in a stormy sky. She stood leaning out over the marble railing, desperate hands urging Molly to just come to her. To come back, to stop. That he had done enough and they needed to get out of there. 

But there was glitter in Mollys lungs. Somewhere in his imaginings he could hear Gustav calling to the audience.  
“The Flying Peacock Twins, ladies and gentlemen won’t you show them your love!”   
They were cheering. Screaming. Yelling. Molly basked in it, breathed it in great gasps with the glitter. Beautiful colours popped all around him. The world was so bright. Molly had always thought so. Somehow his eyes saw bursts of it and it never went away no matter how many times he blinked. His world was lit with dazzling colours. 

Magic.

“Mo- TALIESIN! That’s enough now!” 

Was that Yasha? She’d never seen the circus. She should see the circus.

“Get down! Now! Come here!”

But he was flying. Higher than all the faces. Higher than the Greek gods. Higher than-  
“Fuuuck!”

The chandelier fell.

And Molly fell too. 

*  
“Close your eyes real tight. Squeeze them ‘til you see it. Do you see it? The flash of, like, gold light? Now open them!”  
Lucien was sat under the bedcovers with Molly, down the hall a grandfather clock was chiming midnight. Mol watched eagerly as Lucien opened his eyes and looked around in the torch light.   
“Wow! How did you do that, Mol?” 

*

“Mol?”

“Mol!”

A pale face stood in the watching crowd. Ruby red lips and a blank stare.

“Fuck fuck fuck!”

Then she was gone.

Molly was lifted in sturdy arms. Yasha.  
“Yash... I flew!” Molly could not stop giggling. 

“Not now, you complete idiot.”

Yasha flung him over her shoulder and barged back through the crowds. Soon, the pair were crouched behind a dumpster in an alley many streets away from the gallery. 

Still giggling, Molly pulled off the hoodie and ruffled up lavender curls.   
“Shootin’ through the sky like a tiiiiger...” He sang to himself. He patted his pockets.  
“Damnit, no fags! Owwww!! Sonofabitch! Yash! Yaaaash?”

“What did you do now?”

Why was she mad?

“Jesus, okay. Hold still. STILL, Molly!” 

They sat in silence while she examined his wrist. Then her phone beeped.  
“Peacock’s nearly here.”

“What? Whatchew call him for?” 

“We need a fucking ride, Molly! Jesus.”

A sleek black car with tinted windows rolled into view at the end of the alley. 

“Oh fucks sake.”

Peacock emerged, already halfway through a cigarette. As he strode down the dingy alleyway, he saw Molly reaching for a drag and stubbed it out under a polished pointed shoe.

Mol sighed and bubbles of blood popped on his lips. 

“Heeey there bro! So, was I on the news?”

Peacock knelt down beside his twin and tutted, looking him over with a scowl.   
“Yes. You were on a live-stream. I caught the whole thing.” 

His eyebrows knitted together in concern as he reached for Molly’s wrist.   
“Alright, no more moving. You’ll just make it worse. You probably cracked half your ribs too. Fucks sake, what am I going to do with you?”

Yasha’s voice drifted through the haze as Mol blinked up at the two of them.  
“We can’t take him to hospital. Too many questions.”

“I know. I know. Then... Cad?”

“Cad. And you’ll have to stay in bed for a few days too, Molly. You hear me?”

“Boorrriiinnggg!! Jus’ chuck a plaster on, I’m fiiiiine!” Mol made to stand up but Peacock and Yasha both pushed him back down.

“How fucking high are you right now?” Peacock demanded.

“Soarin’!” Molly giggled.

“For fucks sake. On a job? For real, Mollymauk?” 

Peacock took off his coat and handed it to Yasha.   
“Wrap him up. I’d rather get blood on this than the car.” 

*


	3. Sea Bitch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mollymauk remembers back to the day he reunited with the brother he thought was dead.  
> Then see's a familiar raven boy.  
> And rounds off the day with some breaking and entering onboard the Squall-Eater

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is based on an RP a group of cosplayers have going on our discord server.   
> I'm mostly posting for my own fun, and as I am playing 'BloodHunter' I have to edit everything to be from just his point of view.  
> This is a MafiaAU so there WILL be violence, drug use, booze, sex etc.  
> Nothing too explicit though.

Chapter Three. Sea Bitch.

“Shady bitch!”

“Useless junkie!”

“Sea witch!”

“Fuck you!”

“Fuck you!”

Mollymauk slammed his heels against the bar and jumped off the counter to stand right in front of the woman now glaring daggers at him.  
“If you hurt him-” Molly growled, jabbing a thumb towards Lucien, who swiftly moved to stand between the pair. “Imma tie my bass strings round yer throat an’ squeeze till I break your goddamn neck!”

“Oooh I’m so scared of the scrawny little waster!” The woman with long auburn curls mocked.

“That’s enough, Molly!” Lucien snapped. He stood firm, his back to Avantika now and an arm loosely snaking around her waist.

Molly snarled.

“Look, just go. Alright? Go.” Lucien pointed towards the doors up to the bedrooms.

Molly shakes his head, lip curled tight.  
“Screw you both.” He storms out of the casino, lighting a fag as he stomped down the street. 

That shady bitch had come swanning into their lives and within a week his twin was fucking besotted. Sure, Luc kept saying they were ‘doing business’ and ‘finalising trade agreements,’ but Molly wasn’t blind. Molly saw shit. Molly saw a lot of shit. No one believed him, but he saw it. And he saw something between the piercing blue eyes of a sea bitch and the crimson bloody eyes of his twin. Something dangerous. Something the fucking witch could manipulate. 

Molly would always be the older brother. That never went away, even though most who met the twins would likely agree that Lucien was the more likely to be able to take care of himself. That didn’t matter. Mollymauk had a responsibility. Even if this shell was just his brothers skin. He wanted to protect him. You see, some tiny part of Molly believed that one day his real Lucien would come back, and making sure no harm came to his body was the very least his brother could do.

‘I hate her.’ Molly thought, finishing his cigarette and tossing it to the ground. ‘How can Luc trust her? Can’t he see how fuckin awful she is? She’s usin him! She wants summat. I dunno!’

He drummed his fingers down his arms and fumbled in his back pocket.

Not much left.

Irritated, Molly shot off a text.

[To: ‘Baby’  
“Hey. Need mor gear. Meet at urs? 2nite? Xxx”]

And the LOOK Lucien had given him!  
Molly was back in his mental tirade.

Defending that cow! Sure, the twins hadn’t exactly been getting along since they found each other again, but that look had been almost as bad as...  
Reaching an intersection, Molly tapped his bare feet on the edge of the pavement and considered. 

*  
Running.

Mollymauk was running.

Harder than he had in years. Two long years. Had it really been two years? Two years of thinking it had been just Mollymauk. Only Molly. Two years alone. Two years hurting and screaming and begging. Two years with the tether binding twin souls severed forever. 

But then. 

A dazzling beautiful chance. 

In the most bizarre of ways, but how else could it have happened really? 

A stern message in his inbox. 

Molly had re-read it over and over. 

[“For the attention of ‘Devil Tongue,’  
Kindly stop using my likeness in your work. I have been mistaken for you too many times now, and it has become a nuisance.  
Yours sincerely, Mollymauk Tealeaf (OG)”]

Certain it had to be a prank, Molly had clicked on the user’s icon. A casino. Molly had searched the web and found it.  
‘The Cult of Dionysis.’ And it was in Nicodranas. Molly had scrolled through the website, checking the place out. Looked swanky as hell. Under new management, it said. Earlier that year.

Then...

Then Molly’s heart had stopped in his chest.

One photograph. There was no information about the owner, no bio or gallery. There was a page of interior shots showing crowds playing games, drinking and dining. And one face stood amongst a group by a blackjack table. The date said it was a couple of months ago. And that was his face. Molly would know his twin anywhere.  
Lucien had changed his hair, it sat styled and perfect curved around his jaw. Perhaps a slightly lighter shade of lilac dye too. He was dressed up. Molly had never seen his brother in such fine clothes. Immaculate waistcoat, silk shirt and was that a tie?! 

Molly had stared for a long time. Then he began to run.

*

The pedestrian light turned green and Molly crossed the busy street. Half lost in his head, he didn’t immediately register the bike revving its engine as he passed.  
It was white, every inch. Except for inky black ravens etched into the fenders front and rear. 

Molly had one toe on the opposite curb when his stomach jolted. 

Violet curls spun as he turned to stare at the bike, feeling the unearthly stare of those birds watching him. Then crimson eyes moved up to focus on the rider. 

They were clad in black leathers, detailed across the back with blue wings. As Molly looked, he realised the face under the helmet was looking right back.

“Vax..?” Molly breathed.

The rider held up their right hand, slowly tapping gloved fingertips over their heart, then pointing to Mollymauk.

“Fuck...”

The lights changed.  
The bike sped off.

Mollymauk was alone again.

*  
But he wasn’t alone. Never would be again. His twin was playing a trick. He must be. Getting Molly’s attention and calling him back. Why had Luc taken so long? What had he been doing for two years? How had he come to own a casino?!

Mol pushed all thought from his mind, redoubling his efforts to just run.

It took longer than he would have liked. Mol was only a couple hours into a hit. His stamina wasn’t what it used to be. He had staggered out of the house, barely dressed. His jeans were old and falling apart. The t-shirt hung looser than ever, sporting some image long lost through too much wear and tear. But the casino was set firmly in his mind. The address fixed there, emblazoned like a neon sign lighting his head. So Molly ran.

Exhausted but ecstatic, Mollymauk burst through the main doors to ‘The Cult of Dionysus’ casino. He avoided the large security guards on their circuits, not wanting to attract any trouble for once in his life and began scanning the place for the other half of his soul. Certain he’d somehow sense Lucien before he saw him; Mol passed rows of slot machines, tables surrounded by eager gamblers, the restaurant, and some kind of stage. No luck. 

Sprawled across the back of the vast room was a long bar. Molly wound his way through the throngs of people towards it. Perhaps he could ask the bar staff where their boss was? He had just made up his mind when a voice called his name.

“Molly? What the fuck are you wearing? Mr. Shorthalt just got here, do you want me to take him to your office and wait?”

“Huh?”

Mol’s eyebrows crinkled as he stared at the woman coming towards him. She was very tall. Molly wasn’t short by any stretch, and this broad was TALL. She had long black hair with white braids and was built like a wrestling champion. 

“Molly, do you not want to change? I mean, it’s not my business but I don’t think the sweaty hobo look suits you.”

Molly stood, completely confused.

“Wha..?”

“Oh, come on. Tell me all about it upstairs. People are staring.”

The woman placed a strong but gentle hand on his shoulder and steered him towards a set of double doors at the back of the casino, leading into a hotel-style lobby with elevators and a winding staircase going to the higher floors. From what Molly had seen outside, this place looked like it had at least 5 floors.

When they reached the nearest elevator, the woman pulled out a keycard and scanned it. Then they were inside, heading up and up and up.  
As the lift jangled in silence, Molly managed to form a sort of sentence.  
“H-how’d you know my name?” He asked.

“Are you drunk or something?” The woman was staring down at him with an odd expression.

The lift doors opened.  
They stepped out into a hallway papered in gold and burgundy.  
“Woah...” Molly’s eyes were wide as he gaped at the immaculate surroundings. His twin had done it. He’d made it. Fuck Molly was proud.

“Alright, seriously. Mollymauk, what on earth is-”

The woman began, but she was cut off by a voice that flooded every vein in Mol’s body with light and air.  
“Yasha? I’ve been looking for you. Mr. Shorthalt’s in my office, are you still okay to stand guard in case of any-”

Lucien Tealeaf stopped dead. Two pairs of crimson eyes met.

But at the look his twin was giving him, all the warmth abandoned Mollymauk completely. 

“Luc..?”

*

A shiver of dread ran down his spine and remained with him all the way through the city. Molly didn’t know what to do. She was coming for him. She knew where he was. She would send Vax to bring him back.  
He should never have run. He knew she’d catch up. She had been toying with him. Letting him think he’d got away. But the Queen see’s all. Molly knew that. Molly knew. 

His heart was racing. He was still so angry. He could do nothing now but wait for the Queen to find him. But like fuck was he going to just sit back and let this new sea bitch get her claws into his twin.

Mol pulled out his phone.

[To: Ya$haaa  
“meet me at docks. Got invstg8in 2 do”]

*  
Lucien had looked at Mollymauk like a stranger. Worse than that, like a stranger he didn’t want to be anywhere near. 

Molly tried again, the only word he could form on his tongue.  
“Luc..?”

Lucien did not so much as blink.

“My name is Mollymauk Tealeaf.” He said briskly. “You are ‘Devil Tongue’ I assume? Come to explain why you chose MY likeness for your smut films?”

Molly swallowed.  
“Luc... I don’t...”

But his twin was continuing,  
“Look, what you choose to do with your body for money is not my concern. My complaint is that you use my likeness, and my name to do it. I’ve had people come up to me in the street asking for autographs from Mollymauk ‘Devil Tongue’ Tealeaf! It’s not on, alright? I don’t know why you insist on-”

Molly finally found his voice,  
“I’m your brother for fucks sake!”

Both Yasha and Lucien replied in unison,  
“What?!”

“Yeah! We’re TWINS, you fuckin idiot!”

He had been so happy, mere moments ago. How could this reunion have gone so wrong?

“Twins! An your name ain’t Mollymauk, is LUCIEN. You’re Lucien Tealeaf, an I’M MOLLY!”

Silence hung between the three of them. Unbroken. Unnerving. Molly stared defiantly at his brother, feeling hope trickling away.  
His twin didn’t know him anymore.

“...brother..?” Lucien rasped, after staring at Molly for a long time. “Nobody told me I had a brother.”  
*

The Squall-Eater sat low in the water. The docks were fairly quiet. Evening was drawing close. That sea bitch was out for dinner with Lucien, buttering him up ready to dig her manicured claws into him. Molly crept around to the other end of the boat, listening to Yasha’s distraction.

“Good evening, I’m wanting a word with your Captain.” He heard her addressing the broad-shouldered man in a green shirt. Mol watched, peeking over the edge of the deck.

“Evening, ma’am.” The man responded, stood by the main door. “I’m afraid the Cap’ isn’t here just now. Kindly step back.”

“There’s no need for the guard dog routine, what’s your name?”

“Name’s Fjord. Why aren’t you with Peacock, doing HIS guard dog routine?”

Ah, so he knew who she was. Shit.

Mol looked around, finding an open window and slipped through.  
“Fuckin hell.” He murmured, looking around at a magnificent kitchen, all gleaming tiles and polished marble.

Yasha and Fjord were still having their back and forth outside, so Molly moved quickly through the kitchen, grabbing an iced bun from a cooling rack as he went into a hallway. He was looking for a study or a bedroom. Anything that might have some clue about why this shady bitch had ridden in off the sea and struck up a relationship with Lucien. It felt too damn fishy. 

Mol snorted at that idea.  
“Fishy sea bitch.” He chuckled to himself. 

All Luc would tell him and Yash was that she wanted to ‘do business.’ But they’d been together too much for it to be just business. She’d been in Nicodranas for 3 months now, and had spent most of that time brunching, lunching or dining with Lucien, in the office with Lucien, or at bar with Lucien. Molly didn’t trust her. It was too much all at once, and the fact she’d never allowed any of them anywhere near her ship had cemented it in his mind. No matter what, he wanted to protect his younger brother. 

Another hallway. Fuck, how big was this thing? Mol felt the tell-tale shake in his hands as he headed down some steps, so he paused to listen for anyone else aboard, and popped his last pill. 

It took effect quickly. His hands stopped trembling and he got an uncontrollable fit of the giggles as he made his way further into the depths. 

“Ahaa.”  
A door up ahead. Sturdy, fireproof. Bingo.

Mol turned the handle.  
Locked.

“Fuck!”

“Who’s there?”

Fuck.

Up on deck, Fjord’s voice called down,  
“What’s going on down there Vera?”

“Someone’s here!” The female voice just down the corridor from Molly yelled back.

“SHIT! Who’d you bring, Yasha? Peacock sent you right, to sneak around while he kept our Captain busy?”

Molly didn’t hear Yasha’s response. 

A woman much shorter than he, but looking infinitely stronger somehow, rounded the corner.  
“Where are you, thief hey?!” She was shouting, checking every door she passed. 

There was no other way out, so Molly held on tight to the iced bun and sprinted for the stairs.

“I got you now!” Footsteps rang out behind him.

“Fuck fuck fuck fuuuccckk!”  
Molly hurtled around the corner on the next floor, but-

“Who the fuck is here?!”  
Fjord had come storming inside, drawing nearer through the kitchen. His escape route.

“Fucking fuck-balls of fuckery.”

Molly back-peddled, turning away from the stairs and into a lounge. It was beautiful, he had to admit, as he tore across it. His toes curled briefly into a thick soft woven rug, the sofas were all draped in cosy throws in shades of ocean turquoise. It all looked very lovely. Mol stroked greeny tassels as he passed, leaving a sticky hand print on the arm of that particular sofa. 

The footsteps were right behind him now, both sets.

There were no more rooms. Mol was cornered.

His phone began to buzz. Molly thanked the gods he’d remembered to switch it to silent before heading inside. 

Footsteps. Right by the door.

Fuck.

Molly turned on the spot in a wild desperate circle. 

Window.

He darted onto the longest sofa by the huge row of windows overlooking the bay, heaving at the handles and ramming each with his shoulder until he found one that opened. 

“What the-”  
As the voices of Vera and Fjord came into the lounge just as Mollymauk shoved the bun into his mouth and swan-dived out of the window into the bay.


	4. Rose-Tinted Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (This chapter includes some references to drug-use)
> 
> Lucien and Mollymauk argue. Mollymauk seeks refuge with an old friend and feeds his bad habits.  
> Sometimes, the twins do manage to bond though...

Chapter Four. 

Rose-Tinted Memories.

Luc was mad. Really really mad. Mol stood in his sodden jeans, wringing out the corner of his t-shirt as Lucien paced the length of his office back and forth. 

“Imbecile!” Words rang trough the room. “Complete violation!”  
Lucien stopped and two pairs of angry crimson eyes met.

“I was just trying.... To... To protect-“

“TO PROTECT ME?!”

Lucien roared, rounding on his brother.  
“I’ve done just fine without your protection ever since I woke up in that hospital bed, Mollymauk! All you’ve done is fight and break things and get high off your ass and I ALWAYS wind up fixing your mess!” 

“Luc, I-“

“I don’t CARE what you were trying to do!”

“Luc!”

“No! Shut UP! I don’t care! I don’t CARE! Just go.”

“Luc...”

“Go. Away.”

*  
*  
*

The streets were noisy. Elbows caught at his sides, bottles smashed underfoot. Molly moved slowly through the crowds, avoiding staggering groups and ducking down in a doorway. The glow of the clubs shone in a hazy blur as he buried his face in his hands. 

Fingers inked with roses began to tremble. 

“Fuck...”

His skin was burning. Suddenly the music pouring out of the nearest bar was filling his head, making it throb. 

Pockets... Pockets...

Molly fumbled, bringing up a handful of cash, a ruined pack of cigarettes, a packet of jellybeans and his phone.

“Fuck, fuckfuckfuuuuccckkk!”

Wait, there it was! A small bag in the back pocket of his jeans.

Eagerly, trying his hardest not to drop it, Molly tore it open and-  
“FUCK!”

Empty. 

Molly threw it onto the ground and frantically scrolled through the contacts in his phone. 

It rang.

And rang.

“Pick up...” Molly begged. “Please... Babe please... Please...”

“Hello?”

Mol let out the breath he didn’t realise he’d been holding.

“H-hey, babe.”

“Baby! Are you okay? It’s been ages! Baby? Babes? Talk to me?”

Mol sniffed.

“Can you come get me..?”

“Sure baby.”

*

The rust-bucket of a car screamed to a stop right on the curb and a young woman with long dark dreadlocks burst out.

“Baby?!”

Mol heard the voice but could only stomach a grunt in return. 

The ground was comfy against his cheek. Wet, but then he was already wet. 

“Baby?”

“mnngfff”

Hands. Hands on his chest, his face, in his hair.

“Baby you’re shaking...”

“need- mnggff”

“Baby?”

Her voice was close. Comfort washed over him. Soft lips pressed his.

“Need a- a- hit.”

“Okay baby, I got you. Come on, come home. We got gear. Come on, up.”

Slowly, with a lot of help, Mollymauk staggered to his feet and they clambered into the car. 

*

Smoke.

Smoke and warm.

The living room was small and cosy, every couch overflowing with people. Shapes in the smoke. Laughing and chatter permeated the air over some game-show on the tv. 

“Yo, Cree, kit him up for me?”  
A voice Molly vaguely recognised came from stooped over the coffee table. 

“Sure. Come on baby.” Cree tossed her dreads over her shoulder and knelt down in front of the chair she and Mol had been cuddled up in. Mol reached for his belt but his hands were shaking too much and Cree stopped him. 

“No, baby, let me. I got you.”

He didn’t even have enough energy to say Thank You. 

Cree undid the buckle and helped Molly out of his jacket, freeing his left arm. 

He felt the familiar pressure tugging at his skin, looking down at the leather tight around his bicep.

“I got you baby, just relax for me.”

Molly slid back deeper into the armchair, and then there it was; a beautiful sting in his veins. 

Bliss

And he was falling.

Cree was whispering beautiful words.

Molly was floating and falling and floating again.

Colours

Molly had always seen colours so much brighter than anyone else. 

Too bright.

Sometimes it hurt.

When he was young, Mollymauk sat watching them instead of doing anything else. School, dinner, talking.

The world was just so damn bright. He wanted to drink it all in, become engulfed in it. All the colours, all the sights. 

It had always been like that.

The colours dimmed as he grew older. They almost vanished completely when he had believed Lucien dead. 

The drugs was all that brought them back. 

For two years Mollymauk got high and bathed himself in the brightness. Numbing the hurt, the half of his heart that was missing. 

Colours surrounded him now. 

A thousand times brighter than normal.

They flooded his mind and his eyes. They were everything.

“You’re okay baby...”

Cree.

Molly needed her. He ached he needed her so badly.

Chapped lips caught his and Mollymauk drifted into dreams.

***

“Ladies and Gentlemen! The Fletchling and Moondrop Carnival proudly presents to you- the Flying Peacocks!”

Gold glitter filled the air.

Lucien squeezed Molly’s hand.

“Ready?”

“Always.”

With a wink, Molly slid off the platform and down the silks. 

Crowds were cheering.

Lucien came next and they spun and they weaved and they flipped over and over. 

They soared above the sea of faces. Sometimes on silk, sometimes rope, hoop or straps. 

The Flying Peacocks did it all.

Together.

Mollymauk never dropped his brother.

Not once.

*

“Baby?”

Smoke.

Smoke and noise.

“Baby? You back with us?”

‘No...’  
Mol tried to say.

‘I don’t wanna come back.’

*

Walking.

One bare foot in front of the other. 

Cold.

Where was he?

Need warm.

*

“Up you get. Come on.”

“Noooo...”

“Yes. You bloody idiot, come on.”

“Shhhh sleepin.”

“Molly for fucks sake, get up!”

“Yash?”

Mol opened his eyes. 

“Who else would it fucking be? Now get up, you stink.”

Molly rose to his feet, shivering.

He did smell. What was that?

There was rusted metal under his hands.

Clang.

Strong arms hooked around Molly and eased him out of the dumpster.

He landed on the pavement hard and winced. 

“Sore?”

“Yuh...”

“Not surprised.”

Yasha never was anymore.

She shoved a hoodie into his hands and began to walk.

“Wait for me.”

Mol shoved his arms into the sleeves and darted to keep up with her.

“Yash, wai-owww!”

The woman barely slowed her step. 

“Yash? Where we goin?”

“I’m going home, Mollymauk. You can go wherever you want.”

“What? You- you mean you ain’t gonna..?”

“Going to what, Molly? Comfort you? Patch you up? Tell you it’ll all be okay and nothing’s your fault? Like I ALWAYS do? No. I found you, I made sure you’re alive. That’s all I’m doing.”

“Yash! Is not like I been gone long-”

“THREE DAYS, MOLLY!” Yasha spun around and looked as though so could punch him.

“You’ve been missing for THREE DAYS! Peacock is going crazy! He and Caleb have been out looking for-”

“Caleb?! He’s with Caleb?! I fuckin KNEW IT! Fucks sake.”

“You flirted with him one time at a gig, Mol. Get over it.”

“It weren’t one time! We was talkin’ for months! We... We... Did we..?”

Yasha shook her head.

“You were off your tits on coke, Mol. You hit on the guy for half an hour then we went back on for our second set. He met Lucien the next week and they went on a date. They’re dating. Don't you think he deserves this? To have someone to make him happy? After all the shit you put him through.”

“I...”

“Good.”

Then she was walking away again.

“But...”

Mol mumbled to himself.

“But that’s not right... I don’... We...”

But the more he thought, the more he found he couldn’t remember.

***

“Luc..?”

Mol knocked on his brother’s bedroom door.

“It’s five in the morning...”

Lucien’s voice trickled out from the other side of the door.

“I know, sorry. Jus, I gotta show you summat.”

“Later.”

“It gotta be now. Please?”

“Mol, what could possibly be so damn important?”

“Jus, come?”

Lucien didn’t answer, but Molly heard the creaking of bedsprings and a mumbled apology. As his twin opened the door and stepped into the hall, Mol caught a glimpse of red hair under the blankets.

“Alright, what’s going on?”  
Lucien wrapped a thick dressingown round himself, giving Mol a stern look. 

“Jus’ come.”

Mol grabbed his twins hand and dragged him to the stairs.

“Mol, the elevator-"

“This way’s more fun. C’mon!”

Mol hurried up the steps and Luc ran with him, demanding answers all the way until they crashed through the doors onto the roof.

“Molly!” Lucien tugged his hand out of his brothers and stood shivering, looking around.  
“What the fuck are we doing up here? It’s freezing.”

Mol didn’t say anything. He moved over to the edge and sat down, dangling one foot over the side.

“Molly?”

“Come sit with me?”

“Molly.”

“Please, Luc? Please?”

The younger twin sighed and sat down next to his brother.

They stayed there in silence for a long time, looking over the dark city strewn with street lamps. 

“There.”

Molly said softly, pointing.

Following his gaze, Lucien saw the first rays of the sun glistening over the water.

Then Molly was rummaging in his pockets.

He pulled out two cigarettes and lit up, handing one to Lucien, who accepted and took a drag.

Neither spoke, they just sat and watched the sun rise over Nicodranas. 

By the time they had finished their smokes, it was well and truly morning.

Lucien got up and squeezed Molly’s shoulder.

“Look, this was... Nice. But I have a million things to sort out today. I better go.”

Mol nodded, turning to kiss his brothers wrist.

“Yeah. Yeah arright. Get goin’ then.”

“We should have a drink soon, okay? This really was nice, Mol.”

“Yeah, I’d like that.”

“See you soon then.”

“Yeah.”

Then Lucien headed back downstairs. 

Mollymauk sat back on his hands and watched a motorbike weave through the streets below.

“Happy Birthday Brother.”  
He whispered.


	5. Feathers and Fate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Long time no see, Mollymauk”  
> Mol swallowed.  
> “She... She...”  
> “Of course.” Vax knew. He always knew. Somehow, he always knew Molly inside and out.  
> “Come.”  
> Mol could not move.  
> “Come”  
> When had he taken the gloves off? A hand with dark nail polish was reaching, offering Mol something he could not place.  
> “She will be kind.”  
> Gods, his voice hit Mol somewhere deep in his navel.   
> The outstretched hand hung in the air between the pair. Mol took it. Vax was... warm... and cold.
> 
> **Mollymauk's debt comes due**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is based on an RP a group of cosplayers have going on our discord server.  
> I'm mostly posting for my own fun, and as I am playing 'BloodHunter' I have to edit everything to be from just his point of view.  
> This is a MafiaAU so there WILL be violence, drug use, booze, sex etc.  
> Nothing too explicit though.

Chapter Five- Feathers and Fate

It was the longest traffic light Mol had ever seen. There must be something wrong with it, he was certain. Deep in the heart of Nicodranas city centre, he sat on his bike, revving impatiently as the red stayed solemnly, wholly uncaringly RED.

Feathers drifted into his view.  
The blackest feathers and razor sharp beaks. Fluttering beside him.

The white bike pulled to a stop on the line, as if the two were contestants in a race. Though Mollymauk knew he could never hope to win.

He felt the grey eyes upon his face. Something swirled up inside him. It was like an unknown emotion, or pang. Mol could not place it. He knew it, he had felt it before. Only ever in the presence of two people, and he could never understand what it was he felt. It was neither joy nor pain. It was not hunger or thirst. It was not rapid, it did not make his heart pound or his head ache. He could feel his pulse thudding in his chest, but it was calm. He was not afraid. It was not fear.  
Still, it took over his body and crushed him until he could not think any more.

Numbly, he nodded, staring at the road beneath him. The rider beside him understood

Green.

Mol fell into place, riding along behind the white bike. The city fell away as they went. Buildings and streets became nothingness. The colours flooded into his vision. Mol blinked them back but there they stayed. All he could make out was the pale bike. White in a sea of messy colour. 

*  
It was over an hour before they pulled up around the side of a long thin building, standing in dark brick with a low roof bowed over the highest windows.

Everything in Mol’s brain was ravaged by colours. He stood, watching, waiting. Long black hair fell in a loose braid down Vax’s back as he swept the helmet off his head.

“Long time no see, Mollymauk”

Mol swallowed.  
“She... She...”

“Of course.” Vax knew. He always knew. Somehow, he always knew Molly inside and out.

“Come.”

Mol could not move.

“Come”

When had he taken the gloves off? A hand with dark nail polish was reaching, offering Mol something he could not place.

“She will be kind.”

Gods, his voice hit Mol somewhere deep in his navel. 

The outstretched hand hung in the air between the pair. Mol took it. Vax was... warm... and cold.

He allowed himself to be lead slowly across the gravel around to the front doors. Silver lettering caught the late afternoon sun.   
‘Raven Funeral Directors.’ The name sat nestled in feathers.

She was in there.

A red rug greeted them, thick cool wool under his toes. He scrunched into it as he walked, desperate for something he knew he enjoyed. Everything else in this place brought only questions and confusion. Soft fuzz, though small, brought him a twinge of ease.

The funeral directors had only one story from the outside. Unimposing, it sat at the end of the quiet street, waiting for the mourners to come. Each window was tall, filled with images of suns and moons in the stained glass. On his first visit, Mol had thought them terrifying. Like a chant repeating over and over reminding him that with each dawn comes an end, a darkness snuffing out the light.  
Now, as he walked their silent halls, he saw their truth. Everything had to end. There was no reasoning with it, no excuses. It just was. Death was a certainty. The one true destiny anyone could be sure of. Perhaps it would have comforted him if he were not drowning in white noise. His head spilled over with it. The colours dimmed around him, dancing their lights as though through a veil he could not bat aside. 

They passed through a display room. Mol found his eyes drawn to a coffin near the front, resplendent in deep blue satin sheets, obsidian wood. If he had any say in it, he would like to be shoved into the ground to rot away in that.

A small group were being shown another model by a tall woman with a pale face and red lips. Vax nodded as he took Mol past. The woman running through her notes inclined her head to the pair but said nothing. 

Through a door labelled ‘Staff Only,’ they began to wind their way down a spiralling staircase into the hidden levels. 

The scent of strong chemicals caught in Mol’s throat as their feet touched down on the new floor. Vax walked on without a word, his hand still cool in Molly’s. A door stood ajar. They continued on and Mol turned to stare inside. The smell was strongest there. Two women in red aprons were moving around a body, laid out beautifully on their table. Something jolted in Mollymauk’s throat as he looked at the tubes sticking out of veins. Crimson collecting in them, droplets oozing. 

His empty hand scratched and clawed at the skin in his elbows, reawakening old scars. He had not used in a couple of days. Gods, ne needed it. Something bit at him, roaring that he could be laid out on that table too. He could take the corpses place.

*It could be me...*

But whether this thought was a want or a fear, he could not tell.

“Mollymauk.”  
Vax spoke his name like a sonnet, and Mol heard him at once.

“That is not the way.”

Did he know? Somehow? Did Mol speak aloud without realising?

The hand gently pulled him away from the door, entwining their fingers. Perhaps to keep a closer eye on him, perhaps a gesture of kindness. Mol neither knew nor cared. 

Another door loomed, the end of the hallway. White wood. Iron handles. Something comforting crept out from underneath it in waves. Mol wanted to know what it was.

Vax opened it, and brought Mol inside. 

The room was almost perfectly round. Carved shelves sat perfectly along the walls, a long desk at one end by a tall lamp, and in the centre was a bath. It looked as though it were carved from one tremendous chunk of crystal. Mol stared and stared, only noticing the body inside it after a long minute.

He blinked. 

The body was of a young man. No older than he was. As Mol stepped closer, Vax’s hand fell away.

The dead man was thin. Like Mol. He had so many scars, the skin not littered with them was covered in tattoos. He looked peaceful, but as red eyes travelled up the mans torso, Mol realised he must have died horribly. The tear through his chest was long, and although it had been cleaned and expertly sewn up, the mask was not enough to hide it. Mol gulped.

“Shit...”

His first word to the Queen in years. 

She stood at the mans head, caressing ointment through his hair. Her fingers worked so tenderly, it looked to Mol like such an act of love. Devotion, even. Perhaps this was mothers.   
Mol wished he were the one in her hands.

“A year, Mollymauk Tealeaf.”

Her words were firm but her voice was like a lullaby.

“I...”

“For a year, I have allowed you to stray.” His Lady massaged the mans skull and Mol could almost feel her hands on his own skin.

“We held you through grief and I released you into joy. But you still owe.”

“I... know... My Lady”

A noise behind him caught Mol’s ears and he began to turn, but in a sudden rush of cold air the woman was standing before him cupping his chin and holding him in her gaze. 

“Do you?” She was asking as though she already suspected the answer. “Do you know how much you owe, Mollymauk? I acted for you, I saved him. You made me a promise.”

“I...”

Her eyes were the palest blue.

“I... didn’t mean to... I want to...”

“From now on, you shall have a permanent reminder.”

The noise behind him came to a halt, and Mol was pushed backwards. For a brief moment he was falling, falling, falling as though he hung suspended in the air. But then his back hit something softer than he would have expected. Cushion. A chair. 

The Queen sat straddled on top of him, and in that moment Mol knew he would do anything she asked. She held his wrists and out of the corner of his eyes, Mol saw flecks of gold.   
Vax held the ropes, and he tied them tight, binding Mol to the chair.

“Wh...?”

“If you fight, I shall release you from your debt.” Ruby lips purred against his earlobe. “And your brother along with you.”

“No!” Mol gripped the chair but made no move to struggle.

“Good.”

She was still sat on him. Mol hated himself for the creeping warmth she spread through him. He dragged chipped nails over the arms of the chair.

“Vax’ildan.”

On her command, Mol felt familiar hands on his throat. For one wild moment he thought Vax was about to suffocate him, but they only turned his face away, exposing the left side of his neck.

Then came a buzzing, a draw of ink, and a scrape through his flesh.

Mol winced and cried out.

“Hush now.”  
Her whisper pressed into his mouth as she kissed him. And Mol fell into a dream of colours.

*

Mol hazed in and out of the room. He felt her lips as though they never broke apart. He felt Vax as though he never left his side. He hurt. He wept.

*

“Mollymauk.”

She was calling him out of the fire.

“Mollymauk.”

Could he not just lie here and forget it all?

“Mollymauk.”

Crimson eyes blinked open. He was no longer tied to the chair. He was in a new room. The walls were ivory. The floor was cherry red. Like her mouth. The bed was black silk.

Vax lay beside him, hair unbraided lying scattered all across the pillows. He wore his long robes, the ones Mol had first seen him in when they had met nearly three years ago.   
On Mol’s other side, laid his Lady. Their lady. She too now wore the dark robes. And even in such a relaxed state she was beautiful. 

“Welcome back.”  
She meant to consciousness. But she also did not.

Mol felt her mouth on his once more, then she leaned across to take Vax in her arms as well. 

“Stay with him until he is ready to leave.”  
Her last instruction to her successor, before she left the bed chamber.

Mol reached for Vax and felt the mans hands glide under his shirt to hold him closer.

“You will not disobey her, will you?” He was imploring into Mol’s embrace.

“No. I will do as she asks.” Mol promised.

“She will not ask much.” Vax was now buried in Mol’s chest. “The odd job here and there. Then, when you are ready, you will take your place here with us.”

Mol nodded. He knew the deal. 

“How is your brother?”

Mol nudged black hair off his face and slipped his hand into Vax’s again.

“It worked, yes? He came round?”

“Yes.”

“I am glad.”

Mol remembered his own relief, discovering that all he had done had worked. It had been a gamble; even his Lady had told him that. She was an experimentalist, not a miracle worker.  
But to Mollymauk she was a goddess.

“I have to go.”

“I know.”

“I will come back.”

“I know.”

*

They were walking back up through the corridors. The reception desk stood deserted. It was dark outside the windows. It was so late.

Vax tugged at Mol’s hand.  
At once, Mol was enveloped in strong lean arms, pressing him back, back into the wall until his head span through the colours and the light and the dark. 

“Soon.”

“Yeah, yeah soon. I promise.”

*

As Mol drove away, he felt that sensation niggle at him again. A feeling, but one he could not place within him. It was not anywhere on the spectrum of emotions he knew. But he only felt it around two people. 

Vax’ildan. And Lady Letherna. 

*

When he arrived back at the casino, Mol padded through into the ensuite and stared down his reflection.

There it was.

A permanent reminder. 

Etched into his skin by Vax’s hand.

A raven sat on his neck, almost perfectly parallel with the peacock feathers.

He would never run from her again.  
He owed her everything.  
He owed her Lucien’s life.


	6. Faith and Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Let me see your arms.”
> 
> “Luc, fucks sake.”
> 
> “You say you’re not high, prove it.”
> 
> “Fuckin’ FINE.”  
> Mol held out his arms.
> 
> Lucien spent a long time examining them, crimson eyes roaming over scars old and new, checking every bump and bruise. But eventually he seemed satisfied.  
>  “Alright. I believe you, Mol.”
> 
> Mollymauk didn’t respond. 
> 
> “So, are you good to take this Hit then? Should be a simple job. They guy’s hanging around a local bar. The usual rules, the usual pay. Cash after the job’s done. No mess. No leftovers.”
> 
> “Yeah, yeah I know how to do a bloody hit, Luc.”
> 
> (In which old faces reappear, and new flames set sparks flying...)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An Alternative Universe Mafia setting, featuring characters from Critical Role campaigns 1 & 2.
> 
> This fic is based on an RP a group of cosplayers have going on our discord server.  
> I'm mostly posting for my own fun, and as I am playing 'BloodHunter' I have to edit everything to be from just his point of view.  
> This is a MafiaAU so there WILL be violence, drug use, booze, sex etc.  
> Nothing too explicit though.

Chapter Six- Faith and Trust

Mol was wearing a scarf. He found it in a thrift store after getting up super crazy early and sneaking into town.

It was pretty nice, all things considered; a rich plum colour with gold stripes in fine thread. Really, it did not look out of place in his ensemble.

He sat in the bar waiting for Luc, keeping the fabric closely around his throat.

“You’re up early.” His twin appeared at Mol’s elbow. “Or did you just not make it to bed? You weren’t in when I came up.”

Mol raised a confused eyebrow.

“You keepin’ tabs on me?”

“A necessary precaution, sometimes.”

Luc was just concerned, right? Concern was nice. He shouldn’t be mad about it.

He should leave it, let it go, ignore it-

“Why? You think I can’t take care of my damn self?”

Lucien waved the bartender away as he approached, and fixed his twin with a stern look.

“Where were you last night?”

“Why d’you care?”

“Because if you are high off your ass you can’t be working today.”

“I’m not.”

“Look me in the eyes and say that again.”

“What’s with you?”

“None of my employees are permitted to work under the influence, Mol. It’s not some crusade against you.”

“Good thing I ain’t workin in a customer facin’ role then ain’t it.”

“You are not taking this seriously.”

“Nope.”

“Mollymauk.”

“Lucien.”

There was a brief pause.

“Fine. You won’t tell me. That’s fine. Go away and do something else, I don’t need this today.”

“What?!”

“Well, I can’t trust you on a hit right now, Mol. You don’t want to tell me where you were, fine. But I have a business to run, I have paying clients with jobs that need doing. I cannot let them down because you are, as ever, an unreliable mess.”

Mol stood up,

“Screw off.”

Lucien stood up also. He took Mol by the elbow and marched him around the bar and into the stockroom. A long narrow room, lined with floor to ceiling shelves. It smelt of booze and cherries.

“Jeez, wha’s your problem?!”

Luc ran a hand through his hair and stood staring at Mol.

“You. You are my constant problem, Mol. I cannot keep doing this. It is beyond frustrating, and it is hell on Yasha-”

“What? Why?”

“Oh you cannot be so blind! Surely? She is worried sick any time you disappear. Spends half her life searching for you, pulling you out of dumpsters. You are a-”

Mol had picked up a jar and was sniffing the contents.

“Constant problem. I knoooowww.”

“But you don’t know, Mol, that’s the point!”

A flush was creeping up Luc’s neck, tingeing the tips of his ears.  
“You don’t know and the worst part is, you don’t care enough to even think for one minute that maybe –just maybe- while you’re off injecting yourself full of shit and falling off the face of the earth, there are people who care about you who are out here looking for you, panicking and terrified about where you are and what state you’re in!”

The younger Tealeaf twin took a long slow breath, allowing the older one to set the pickle jar down and fold his arms.

“You’re worryin’ about bugger-all, Luc.” He said cooly. “I been on the stuff for yonks, I know what I can handle. I know where-”

“Don’t you dare claim to know where your limits are. Not after last Christmas.”

“Last Christmas was-”

“A disaster on monumental levels.”

“I was gonna say ‘fun,’ but sure...”

“Are you kidding? Mol, tell me you’re kidding!”

Mol shrugged.

Luc looked as though he was at a loss for words.

Mol made the most of this opportunity.

“What? Casino was closed, me you Yash an’ Caleb all hung out downstairs. Gave presents, ate a shit tonne of food, got shitfaced and partied all night. Wha’s the problem?”

Lucien smacked Mol hard across the face.  
“You fucking prick.”

“Whaaatt?!” Mol reeled, catching himself on one of the towering shelves before he hit the floor.

“You ruined it, Mol! You fucked it all up and were too fucking high to notice! I can’t believe you. I can’t believe you don’t remember. I can’t believe you think that was a fun Christmas. I just...”

He began to walk away.

“Luc...”  
Mol moved to grab his brother.

“Luc, I’m sorry! I really am. I didn’t know, alright? I really thought we all had fun... It was a happy memory for me.”

“Lucky you.”

Luc yanked his arm out of Mol’s grip.  
“I have to go and find someone else for this hit today. Go find something to do.”

“No, Luc, I can work. I ain’t high. I didn’ take nothing.”

“Then where were you?”

Mol chewed his lip.  
“I was... with a friend.”

“Cree?”

“No, someone else.”

“Who?”

“You don’t know them.”

“That’s not reassuring.”

“Luc... Look, he ain’t a dealer. He’s a friend. Old friend. Helped me out when you was...”  
Mol fell silent. He did not like talking about that year. The year he’d been lost and more alone than he ever knew anyone could be.

“He kept me sane, aright? I didn’ shoot up, I didn’ even have a fag. Nothin’ like that. I jus...”  
He had to give Lucien something. He could fix this. He could work this out and repair some of the damage.

“I got new ink. That’s where I was. Spent hours drawin’ out the design with the artist an’ then got it done. Went out for a drink with my friend after an’ came in late. There. Aright?”

Luc looked as though he was trying very hard to convince himself to believe Mol.  
“Can I see it?”

“Sure.”

Mol unwound the scarf and turned on the spot, letting Luc see the bird sat black and sore on his skin.

“Shit, Mol, that’s...”

Luc trailed off as he looked closer at Mol’s neck.  
“...why did you have it there?” He asked.

“Not got much space left.” Mol reasoned.

“You have enough space for this, Gods Mol. You could have put it on your legs or your back... This is so... It looks like you’d been branded.”

“Well fuck, it ain’t your body is it.”

Mol snapped. He shoved the scarf back around him and pulled it up to his mouth.

“No. No it is your body to do whatever you want with.”

“Right then.”

“Let me see your arms.”

“Luc, fucks sake.”

“You say you’re not high, prove it.”

“Fuckin’ FINE.”  
Mol held out his arms.

Lucien spent a long time examining them, crimson eyes roaming over scars old and new, checking every bump and bruise. But eventually he seemed satisfied.

“Alright. I believe you, Mol.”

Mollymauk didn’t respond. 

“So, are you good to take this Hit then? Should be a simple job. They guy’s hanging around a local bar. The usual rules, the usual pay. Cash after the job’s done. No mess. No leftovers.”

“Yeah, yeah I know how to do a bloody hit, Luc.”

“Alright then. I shall fetch you the guys information. See you out back. Ten minutes. And won’t you please put on some-”

“I ain’t wearin’ shoes, quit askin’ me.”

Luc threw his hands up in the air and exited the storeroom. 

...

It really was a simple job. Mol had found the guy and done the deed within the hour. The cleanup wasn’t even that much. They were right by a construction site. Mol ditched the body and headed back to the casino.

...

“and that’s not to mention you, Luc! I don’t know what he’ll do if he finds out about you. Perhaps nothing, maybe I’m being completely paranoid. I hope so... But-“

“He will never lay a finger on you, Tia, I promise you.”

Mol screwed up his nose. Since when had His brother been giving Avantika pet names?!  
He stood just outside the office door, listening intently. The voices inside continued. 

“But I need you to be careful, Luc. For me, please? He’s a tidal wave no one see’s coming. He’s powerful, he’s dangerous. Uk’otoa does not care who he hurts, whoever gets in his way is dealt with however he sees fit.”

Mol heard Lucien scoff,

“I assure you I have every protection in place here. I am quite safe. And so are you. You can stay here if you like. Please?”

“You’re sweet, but I can take care of myself. I only wanted to warn you before he shows up anywhere. Thank you, Luc.”

There came the unmistakable sound of two people kissing. Mol felt like throwing up.

“Ah... Are you quite alright there, Molly?”

Caleb was walking slowly down the corridor towards Luciens office. His flare of ginger hair was scraped back into a messy ponytail, and he was carrying grocery bags. Mol caught the whiff of fresh bread and fish and his mouth began to water.

“You look a little pale. Is the new tattoo healing well?”  
There was real care in the brilliant blue eyes now staring intently at Mol as he stood in the hallway.

“Y...yeah, ish... I guess. I dunno. Been tryin not to think about it.”

Caleb was quite beautiful. Sure he was in a constant state of shabby-chic, and looked more homeless than Mol did half the time, but he looked comfortable all wrapped up in his brown sweater and scarf.   
Mol really wanted to hug him.

Mol really wanted to do a lot of things with Caleb, but it was all far too late for that. Caleb was beyond hope. Lost to Lucien, and since he’d begun living at the Casino full time, Mol knew there was nothing to be done. Ah well. Chalk it up to a bad job.

But then-

“You gonna see Luc?”

Mol asked.

“I was going to, after I drop these off in our rooms.”

Caleb shifted the bags into one hand, and moved closer to Mol.

“Look, it may be, ah, none of my business, but you do not seem all to happy Molly. Why do you try not to think about the tattoo? Is it not what you wanted?”

Shit.

Caleb was far too bloody clever. That’s why he’d never have gone for Mol. Stupid and brainy just don’t mix.

“Did... Molly, did somebody give you that tattoo without consent?”

A heavily scarred hand had found Mol’s cheek.  
“If you do not wish to tell Lucien, that is your business, but please tell someone, Molly? Please? He is worried about you. I am worried about you.”

Mol reached behind him and yanked on the door handle, shoving it open and stepping backwards into Luciens office.

“Caleb!”

“Luc-“

“Mol?”

“Sup”

Lucien and Avantika broke apart. Caleb stood in the doorway, one hand clutching the bags of food, the other still planted on Mol’s cheek.

“Can I get my money now?”

Mol demanded.

But Lucien was not paying his brother any attention.

“Caleb-“

“Save it. You do not need to explain.” The hand fell away from Mol’s face, and he felt the comforting warmth go with it. “I shall, ah, go and get dinner started. Nice to see you again, Avantika.”

Lucien was hard to read in that moment, and Mol knew his brother well. Or, he thought he did.

Avantika was the first to speak.  
“Well, I’ll head off then. See you tomorrow, Luc.”

Without another word, and only the faintest trace of a sneer in Mol’s direction –although it could have been a smile, he couldn’t tell- she was gone. The twins stood in silence, crimson locked on crimson.

“Did you do that on purpose?” Lucien asked.

“Yup.”

“You fucking asshole.”

“Yup.”

“No, I mean it, Mol. That’s fucking messed up.”

“What, like screwing some bitch while your boyfriend’s making dinner?”

“Shut the fuck up, Mol!”

“Why? Why’d you do it, Luc? And to CALEB?! He’s a fucking sweetheart, a god damn saint and you’re cheating on him? And with THAT BITCH?!”

Lucien strode across the room and shoved Mol up against the door.

“You may be the oldest on paper, Mol, but you sure as hell do not get to dictate how I run my life. As if you know the first thing about being in a relationship!”

“I sure as shit know you ain’t meant to go shaggin’ other people behind your boyfriends back!”

Mol hated how weak he was. He used to be an even match for his brother but now...

“And do not even pretend that you know anything about Caleb!” Lucien went on, snarling into Mol’s face. “It’s over, Mol, he’s with me and you blew your shot. Accept that! And stop trying to sabotage the one good thing I have going for me!”

Mol was stung.

“You got ME!”

“Oh yeah? Then fucking proove it!”

“How?!”

“Sober up and get fucking responsible, Mol!”

“Fuck you!”

The phone rang. A loud shrill noise cutting through their blaze where it sat on the desk.

Lucien released Mol and went to answer it.

“Lucien Tealeaf speaking.”

He listened, then sat down at his desk and began to take notes on a piece of paper.

“Yes of course, you have been well recommended.”

Another note.

Mol moved around the room, straining to get a peek. 

“Absolutely, we can meet this week to go over the details. Is Thursday good for you?”

As Mol tilted his head, attempting to decipher the letters and words scrawled on the pad, one name jumped out and sent him reeling.

Lorenzo.


	7. Deals and Deciet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Leave Luc alone.”  
> Mol pushed himself away but Lorenzo held him tight.
> 
> “And why on earth would I do that?”
> 
> “Leave him ALONE!”
> 
> A victorious smirk flashed across Lorenzo’s face.  
> “Or what, little Molly? You’ll do something will you? You’re even weaker than the last time I saw you, and twice as pathetic.”
> 
> “I’ll kill you.”
> 
> The laugh that burst from Lorenzo’s lips was tampered with mocking mirth.  
> “Oh, say that again, Molly, say that again! This is the best foreplay I have had in years!”
> 
> “COME NEAR MY BROTHER AND I’LL KILL YOU, FUCKIN’ BASTARD!”
> 
> (I got on a roll this week with a couple days off work so here, have two chapters in two days!)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An Alternative Universe Mafia setting, featuring characters from Critical Role campaigns 1 & 2.
> 
> This fic is based on an RP a group of cosplayers have going on our discord server.  
> I'm mostly posting for my own fun, and as I am playing 'BloodHunter' I have to edit everything to be from just his point of view.  
> This is a MafiaAU so there WILL be violence, drug use, booze, sex etc.
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING/ CONTENT WARNING  
> This chapter includes (not too explicit) reference to drug use, abuse and sex.  
> TRIGGER WAARNING / CONTENT WARNING

Chapter Seven – Deals and Deceit 

Lucien finished his conversation and hung up the phone.  
Mol stood stock still, petrified, unable to breathe.

His twin looked up at him.  
“Right, that’s another thing I have to organise, so if you’re done for today you can take the cash and bugger off.”  
Lucien blinked.  
“Mol?”

Mol tried to open his mouth. Perhaps he did, because Lucien was looking at him expectantly. But no sound escaped him.

“Look, just forget it okay? It’s done. My relationships are my business, so if we just leave it at that then we can get on with... Mol, what’s up?”

Lucien rose from his chair and approached his brother.  
“Molly?”

“Who... Who... was that?”

Lucien frowned,  
“A new client. He needs some runners for black market supplies out of Shadycreek. I have to to organise it all before our meeting on Thursday.”

Mol felt his fingers twitch, rippling in shivers and shakes all through his hands.  
“His name’s Lorenzo?”

“Yes, although I would appreciate you not snooping on my notes. Look, Mol, what is the problem here?”

Mol bit his lip, his teeth chattered on the metal rings. 

“Well?”

Lucien was already moving back to his desk.

“Please don’ meet him!”

It came out of Mol in a rush.

His twin paused, mid-motion to drop back into his desk chair.  
“You don’t want me to meet this client?”

“No. Please, Luc?”

“Why?”

The question was perfectly reasonable. But Mol recoiled like he had been punched.  
“Just... Please?”

“Mol, I do not have time for this. Tell me why.”

“Because... because...”

“Because?”

“Because I know him, a’right?”

Lucien raised an eyebrow,  
“You know Lorenzo Oniron? How? Oh gods, do not tell me that you owe him money. I swear, Mollymauk, if you owe another dealer-“

“No no... Nothin’ like that. I jus’... I jus’... know him. An’ I know he’s bad. Real bad. Please, Luc, please don’ meet him.”

Mol felt the tell-tale tremble branch steadily up his arms and set into his toes as he stood there, fixing pleading red eyes on his brother.  
Lucien saw it too. He was back around the desk in an instant, clutching at his twins hands and rubbing warm palms up and down Mol’s arms.

“Alright, alright, calm down. Mol? Mol, come here. Just, hush.”

Within seconds, Mollymauk was wrapped up in his brothers arms, hearing Lucien’s words flood into his brain. The usual routine when he got into this state.  
“It’s alright. You’re alright. Just, stay here. You don’t need shit, Mol. You don’t need it. Whatever’s worrying you, I can handle it. I promise. Alright? Don’t let it, Mol. Please? You don’t need it. You don’t.”

The shivers continued even after Mol’s heartbeat calmed down. He breathed slowly, trying to match Lucien’s shoulders as they rose and fell under his chin.  
Lucien was trying to push him through, but this wasn’t just withdrawal anymore.

“Luc, I’m fuckin’ frightened...” Mol spoke in the strange tangled language the twins had made up as children. Lucien did his best to respond. But he only carried some of it now. Mol had tried to teach him with limited success.

“Why, Mol? Why? It’s okay, it’s just cravings. You haven’t had anything right? Not since, what-?”

“Few days ago...”

Lucien’s face brightened.

“That’s brilliant, Mol! Really. I’m sorry I didn’t believe you, but you don’t need to be scared, okay? We can help. We’ll all help you. I know it sucks right now but you’ve gone this long, you can quit the shit. You can. I know you can, Mol. Please? I’m right here. It’ll be okay.”

“Please don’t see him...”

“Mol, I hardly think that’s-“

“You don’ understand!”

Mol couldn’t push Lucien away, he was quivering too much.  
“He’s evil, Luc! He- he- he...”

“He what, Mol? What did Lorenzo do?”

Kept me. Had me. Had me.

“Mol? Talk to me, please?”

“Just don’t see him...”

“Mol, I need this contract. He’s got connections everywhere in Shadycreek, if I get in with the Iron Shepherds then we’re laughing. I promise I will take every precaution possible. And I only plan on seeing  
the guy for half an hour to discuss the specifics. After that, never again. Okay?”

“Did he... did he come to you?”

“What do you mean?”

Mol swallowed.  
“Did he come lookin’ for you, or did you reach out to him?”

“Well, he instigated this arrangement, if that’s what you mean.”

Mol gripped Lucien’s arm.

“But I have had feelers out in Shadycreek for the best part of a year now, Mol. So I cannot say whether he found me of his own volition. Look, do not worry. I am more than capable of dealing with these people. I promise, everything will be alright.”

...

Yasha was waiting for Molly when he emerged from Lucien’s office. How she had known to be there was a mystery to Mol, but in that moment he didn’t care. He ran to her and flung himself into her arms before the giant of a woman could even move away from the wall she had been leaning against.

“Yash I- Yash I’m sorry-“  
The words were falling thick and fast, something in Mol was tearing at his throat. He realised far too late that he was soaking the collar of Yasha’s shirt, but she didn’t seem to mind. Strong arms picked Molly up and he hugged into her with all his might as she carried him down the hall to her own rooms. 

It was always clean and tidy in there. As she opened the door, a strong but sweet scent of flowers swirled up Mol’s nose.  
He liked Yasha’s room a lot. It was one of the places he felt safe. Not so much as the Circus, but close.

“Come and sit.”  
She was ushering him onto the sofa like a timid puppy. Perhaps he was.

Mol sat huddled at one end, as Yasha threw a thick fleecy blanket over him and took a seat beside him.

“Look, Molly...”  
She had that look on her face.  
“I am not sure what to think right now. Lucien said that you are trying to get clean, is this true? I mean, I wish it were so, but I’m not stupid, Molly. We have been here before. Several times.”

Oh gods. Oh gods she was going to be so hurt. Mol hated disappointing Yasha. Above everyone else.

“I...” Mol hugged into the blanket, still shivering despite the warmth. “No... Yash. I... think I need a hit right now more than ever...”

The eyes that met his now were not surprised.

“I was tryin’ to stop Luc doin’ somethin’. Somethin’ dangerous. Stupid dangerous. Yash, I dunno what he might do!”

“So you lied?”

“What? No! No I never said I was gettin’ clean. He asked how long it’d been an’ I told him an-“

“How long?”

Mol shoved at the blanket, suddenly too warm. It hit him like a furnace and he sat forwards ready to dry heave over the arm of the sofa.  
“F-fo-four days”

As the strong hand found his spine, and began to massage comforting rings into his skin, Mol heard a note of gladness in his friends voice.

“Really? Mol, that... is actually good. You mean nothing? Nothing at all?”

“Y-yeah...”

Mol slumped over the arm, letting Yasha continue to work away the stress from his shoulders. She had damn near magic hands. He’d told her so many times before. Yasha was the only one who could stop his body from totally wigging out on him, whenever he was too broke or sick to get a hit.

“But, Mol, you’ve started the process. Why not see it through? Get clean, get-“

“No, Yash that’s not important right now! Luc is in danger, real danger! He won’t listen to me!”

“A family trait, that. The Tealeaf twins inability to listen to reason.”

“Yash, I mean it.”

“Look, Mol, I’m sure you do. But Lucien is well versed in dealing with the worst of people. He can handle it. You should focus on looking after yourself now. That’s what Luc wants, what he needs. He needs  
you. He needs his brother.”

Why was nobody LISTENING?!

Mol pushed himself up and stood as steadily as he could on the fluffy throw rug beside Yasha’s bed.

“He’s GOT me!” He tugged at the scarf, pulling it closer to his throat. “I never fuckin’ went anywhere. I’m right fuckin’ here! An’ he won’t listen!”

“Molly...” Yasha was soft and calm. “Did you never think that the reason Luc doesn’t listen is because he doesn’t know how to trust you?”

Mol fell silent.

“You are not here. Not really. Not in ways that count. You are either doped up with Cree,”  
Yasha said that name as though it were the word ‘dog shit,’“or you are lost somewhere out there, or worst of all- you are here but you are shaking and sick and withdrawing and wanting your next high. Mol, that’s not family. That’s not friendship. That... well, that is a burden.”

Mol glared at her. It stung to the pit of his stomach, turning to bile and venom in his mouth.

“Fuck you.”

“Molly...”

“No, fuck you! Fuck the lot of you!”

Mol turned and headed for the door.

“Molly, wait-“

“No! Fucking have each other! I’m such a fuckin’ burden then FINE!” Mol threw the bedroom door open with a bang. “Go join Caleb upstairs! Maybe if you screw him Luc will know how it feels! Or he’ll probably be too busy FUCKIN’ AVANTIKA to notice! You can all go to fuckin’ HELL!”

***

He didn’t really mean it. Even as he blundered hazily down the corridor and down the staircase and down through the casino, he didn’t mean any of it.

*

As he sat on the curb, fumbling to hit the right contact in his phone, Mol didn’t mean it.

*

When a familiar car pulled up and a worn pair of boots splashed towards him through a puddle, he didn’t mean it.

*

While he lay back in a moth-eaten, battered old armchair in a house with boarded-up windows, Mol didn’t mean it.

*

When Cree kissed the crook of his elbow, tugging the needle out and whispering ‘I Love You,’ he didn’t mean it.

***

“I’m scared.”

“Why, baby?”

“Lorenzo’s back.”

“It’ll be okay baby.”

“How?”

“Because we can fly.”

“Not without Luc.”

“Fly with me.”

“Not high enough.”

“You want more?”

“Yeah.”

***

42 hours later, and it was dusk in Nicodranas. 

Bare feet inked with roses trod the streets with a fresh determination. He had to find him. He had to get to him first. He had to. 

***

It didn’t take much. Stuffing cash into the hands of dealers he knew got Mol directed to another person who knew something, and so on until he found someone who knew a whole lot of something.  
Lorenzo was working out of a warehouse down by the docks. Biggest one, lot CR2E26. Perfect.

He didn’t have his bike so Mol walked. It gave him time to breathe, to plan. To get his head straight.

He would do anything to keep Lucien safe. Even this. Even going back.  
Lorenzo must know. He must. He knew all about Luc. Had he come looking for him to screw with Mol? It must be some kind of message. He had to know they were together. What was he planning? 

The docks loomed into sight as Mol made his way through the streets towards the water. It shimmered and glistened in the sunset, almost beautiful. But the breeze swept up and Mol shivered again. This time, it was entirely out of fear.

*

Quite alone, Mol shoulder-barged his way in through the warehouse back door. 

Scratchy tecno music was playing through an old radio sat in the middle of the room surrounded by packing crates and boxes. Numerous worker bees shuffled around, checking stock, scribbling on clipboards, and bagging up items Mollymauk couldn’t see. He scanned the building for a sign of the man he loathed.

There he was.  
Taller than Molly by nearly a head, and built like a brick shithouse with large hands and feet, Lorenzo Oniron was screwing nails into a crate on the far side of the warehouse. His dark beard was longer than the last time Mol had seen him, and his bald head bore more tattoos, but the rest of him remained the same. Unchanged, uncaring, hulking and dangerous.

“Lorenzo!”

The silence that followed Mol’s shout was deafening.

Cold eyes flicked up and a cracked smile formed on the mans lips. One hand raised, dismissing the others as Lorenzo put down his drill and walked slowly towards the scrawny man.  
His workers scattered like mice, the music stopped, and suddenly it was just Mollymauk and Lorenzo on the warehouse floor. 

The goliath of a man stopped a few metres away.  
Lorenzo beckoned, and Mol came to him. The ground was cold concrete, Mol wished he’d thought to bring a hoodie. He was cold in just his vest top and jeans.

“Hello my little Molly.” The deep voice crooned. Hands shot out to grab at Molly’s arms, yanking him into Lorenzo’s space, caressing his face, his hair, his back. Mol shuddered.

“Why so nervous, Molly, hmm?” The voice came again, pressed right up to Mol’s ear. 

“I always knew you would come crawling back to me again.”

Heavy hands lifted Mols arms, wrapping around Lorenzo’s waist. Mol accepted it, hugging into the man and screwing his eyes shut.  
“I knew going to your brother would get your attention.” 

“You went looking for him?”

“I stumbled across his plea for a relationship with Shadycreek and thought to myself, this is too good an opportunity to miss. Both twins in one place, and one begging for my attention. Your brother has a  
silver tongue, Molly, a shame that it is not a shared family trait.”

“Leave Luc alone.”

Mol pushed himself away but Lorenzo held him tight.

“And why on earth would I do that?”

“Leave him ALONE!”

A victorious smirk flashed across Lorenzo’s face.  
“Or what, little Molly? You’ll do something will you? You’re even weaker than the last time I saw you, and twice as pathetic.”

“I’ll kill you.”

The laugh that burst from Lorenzo’s lips was tampered with mocking mirth. 

“Oh, say that again, Molly, say that again! This is the best foreplay I have had in years!”

“COME NEAR MY BROTHER AND I’LL KILL YOU, FUCKIN’ BASTARD!”

Lorenzo closed the remaining gap between their two bodies and seized the back of Mollymauk’s hair. Dragging Mol to him, he smashed their lips together and Mol choked as Lorenzo’s hot thick tongue  
broke into his mouth. 

“Favours, you’re wanting eh?” The voice breathed low against Molly’s lips. “Try harder, Mollymauk.”

Mol felt himself drop to the ground under the weight of Lorenzo’s almighty shove. He hit the concrete on his hands and knees, looking up at the man above him who sneered,

“Only time you didn’t piss me off, when you was on your knees.”

Mol gulped.

“I’m waiting.”

“Fuck...”

Mol gritted his teeth to stop his hands from shaking as he reached up to unfasten Lorenzo’s ornate leather belt.

*

Rain lashed at the windows of the grubby little studio apartment. Thunder rolled and the sky was lit with slashes of lightning.  
Mol was curled up on the bed, struggling to keep the flame of his last lighter steady under the spoon clutched in his other hand.  
“That’s it.” Lorenzo sat down behind Mol and coiled his massive legs either side of the much smaller man. “That’s right, get it in you. All you’re good for isn’t it.”

**

“Only thing that mouth’s good for.”  
Lorenzo held onto the back of Mol’s head, winding forceful fingers into lavender curls and driving Molly on.

*

Another jet of lightning pierced the sky and Mol jumped.  
“Scaredy cat.” Lorenzo held Molly like a vice clamping him there, as his hefty hands worked with Mollys to place the needle.  
It bit into the skin of his elbow and Mol winced. Crimson eyes flickered closed as his head fell back into Lorenzo’s shoulder.  
“Good boy.”  
** 

“Good boy...”

Mol felt a lurch of bile as he gagged.

*

“Mhhmmnnkk...” The storm was still raging. Mol rolled over as the door slammed open.  
“You awake? Good. I’ve had a shitter of a day, come cheer your boyfriend up.”  
Obediently, Mol crawled over to where Lorenzo sat on the end of the bed.

**

Back in the present day, Mol was coughing up bile on the warehouse floor. Lorenzo stood, buttoning up his pants.

“You’ll stay away from Luc..” Mol gasped, clambering to his feet, wiping his mouth.

The monster shook back his head and laughed.  
“I made you no promises, Molly. Now fuck off.”

“Wh... what? No, no! You-“

“Fuck. Off. Mollymauk.”

“NO! No, I’m not goin’ nowhere ‘til you give me your word-“

The rush of a lurching beast slamming into him sent Mol’s back splintering into one of the crates. He screamed as Lorenzo seized him by the hair once more and roared,  
“Right then! I will have your brother, Molly! I will have him and I will take him until he begs me to take you instead! I’ll break him in two and he will thank me for taking his useless junkie brother in his place! Now get the FUCK OUT OF MY WAREHOUSE!”

He let go, and Mol ran.

He ran and ran into the darkening city, until Lorenzo’s laughter was far behind him. But still it rang in his ears.

He ran through the park and up a side ally behind the Lavish Chateau. 

He ran until the world was a spinning daze of colour and noise and that laugh draining him of everything.

He ran across the street towards the casino, desperation peaking as he desperately tried to reach Lucien. He could not let this happen. He couldn’t. He wouldn’t.

Then there was a great screeching of breaks and-

SLAM

***


	8. A Storm from the Sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucien had always had a way of making everyone else in a room fall silent, just with a look. He barely even needed to move a muscle.  
> Mol loved it. He sat opposite Cree, playing footsie under the long table and trying not to smirk, watching his brother hold court like a King. Mol was happy to be Prince. He barely understood half of what Lucien was on about, but it sounded exciting and big. 
> 
> Night after night, the Tomb Takers gathered around the same table in the basement hidden deep under the ground and talked. Months passed and the foundations of a plan were falling into place. Lucien was going to bring changes. Huge changes. The city would never be the same again, he told them. They, his chosen few, would help him rise to power and topple all else. Wipe out the wicked and the false. Blow away the liars and the cheats. The rich would fall, the weak would grow strong. The corrupt would be destroyed and in the dust they would emerge victorious. And how Nicodranas would love them.  
> Mol liked the plan for the explosives alone. They sat piled up around them now, all set and ready to be transported into place. Tonight they would act. Tonight they would detonate Luciens plan.
> 
> Tonight it all went wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is based on an RP a group of cosplayers have going on our discord server.  
> I'm mostly posting for my own fun, and as I am playing 'BloodHunter' I have to edit everything to be from just his point of view.  
> This is a MafiaAU so there WILL be violence, drug use, booze, sex etc.  
> Nothing too explicit though.

Chapter Eight. A Storm from the Sea.

*

“Mol?! Mol?!”

*  
*

“Wake him UP! WAKE HIM UP!”

*  
*

“I don’t know, I don’t know! The bouncers came to get me and he was just... in the road and all these people were watching and an ambulance came and... and... and...”

“Come here.”

“I don’t know what to do, Yasha. What do we do?”

*  
*

It was very warm, Mol thought. Rather cosy too. He wondered if he could stay here for a while. Rain was tapping gently against glass. Mol decided that he must be in Yasha’s bedroom. Her big window ran right next to her bed, with a view out over Nicodranas all the way down to the beach. Yeah. That must be where he was.

As if on cue, Mol heard Yasha’s voice. She spoke in a soft whisper and Mol realised with a jolt that Lucien was there too.

“You should go home, get some proper rest.”

“I can’t leave him.”

“Luc, Mol wouldn’t want you to wear yourself out.”

“It’s what he’d do for me.”

Yasha had no response for that. She sighed instead, and Mol heard shuffling as the tall woman got to her feet.  
His eyelids were so heavy. He tried to open them.

“There’ll be a storm soon.” She was by the window. Mol heard knuckles rap gently on the glass. “Look, I can already see the lightning.”

“Unusual for this time of year though.”

“Yes. But storms are signs of great change. They can bring new life, new options and clearer paths.”

“Trust you to make something meaningful out of a bit of rain.”

“That’s what Molly said too the first time I told him. And the second time. He didn’t remember the first.”

“Yash... Do you think he’ll remember this? Remember why? I want to ask him.”

“Ask me wha..?”

“Mol!”

“Goodness, Molly!”

Crimson stared blearily up at them both as two blurry faces appeared in Mollymauk’s vision.  
Lucien looked terrible. His usually crisp shirt was crumpled and looked days old. His hair wasn’t washed and he had dark circles under his eyes. Hands gripped Molly’s over the blankets and the younger Tealeaf twin sniffed hard.

“Mol. Fuck, Mol! Fuck!”

“s’okay. Luc, Jeez, I’m a’rright.”

“Gods, Molly!”  
Lucien fell into Mol’s arms, hugging his brother so tight it made something dig into Mol’s skin. He ignored it in favour of pulling his twin in closer.

“Luc, it’s okay. Everythin’s fi-“

“I know, I know. I know.”

Lucien was spluttering somewhere near Mollymauk’s shoulder.  
“Gods, Mol, you were so Lucky! I’m so fucking lucky...”

“Why?” Mol asked, puzzled.

“You broke half your damn ribs, Mol!”

“4.” Yasha interjected, quietly. She was standing right beside the twins, taking no part in the sudden rush of tears and hugging but watching over them with all her might. “Molly, you have no idea... The car only just managed to stop and there was a truck-“

“Don’t!” Lucien groaned. “Even thinking makes me feel sick. Gods. Oh gods, Molly. Molly you were so so lucky. The bouncers told me the driver was pretty shaken up but he managed to swerve and you... You...”

“You bounced off the pavement a bit.” Yasha picked up the tale. “But all in all, it could have been much worse. Just, maybe no more gigs for a while. Your face is a little bruised. Your nose... see.”

“I’ve broke my nose before, Yash. I’ll be fine.”

“Mol, do you remember it?” Lucien asked, sitting up and as his hair cleared Mols vision, he blinked and the rest of the room swam into a clearer picture. It was definitely not Yasha’s room. It wasn’t even the casino. Not Cad’s either. 

“Fuck! Fuck, this is hospital ain’t it!” Mol scrabbled backwards, dragging himself up the bed and staring down at his hands. Things were sticking out of the skin, taped down. Tubes ran up his arms into a machine beside the bed. Mol gagged.

“Wha’s that?”

“Proper drugs, Mol. Non-lethal ones.”

“I don’ like it. Feels funny.”

“Of course it does, Mol, you-“

“Get ‘em out.”

“We can’t, Mol, you need them for the pain.”

“I can sort my own pain meds out, fucks sake.”

“Boys, please don’t fight. Not now. Not today.” Yasha was firm, but the plea didn’t escape Mol’s ears.

“Fine.” For her they stopped. Only for Yasha.

“Thank you.” Lucien squeezed his hand. The tubes wobbled. Mol felt sick. “So, do you remember anything?”

Mol chewed his lip, realising that his rings were missing.  
“Hey, where-“

“I’ve got them” Yasha patted her pocket. “You had to go in for scans and they needed to take out all the piercings. I do not envy the nurse who had to get the Prince Albert.”

Mol giggled.  
“Serves ‘em right. Takin’ my shit.”

Two sighs met his words. 

“Mol.” 

Uhoh. Lucien had that serious voice on. “They tried to sedate you when they brought you in. Something for pain or for knocking you out or I don’t know. I was too damn scared to listen properly. But they had to stop ‘cause you were pumped up full of dope. They could’ve killed you, Mol! They had to get me to rattle off a damn list of every possible thing you could have taken. It was humiliating.”

“Sorry...”

“And they kept telling me that they’d have to take all these precautions, how you might react differently to what they usually tried and how they couldn’t operate until you were medicated properly. I was so scared you’d OD or something, Mol! Fuck how many times have you been close to that before?”

“I lost count.”

“Fuck, Mol! I was terrified! I thought I’d never see you again, I thought- I thought, fuck!”

“I’m sorry...”

“Then after all that, they had to take you away and I and I and... I...”

Mol sat up, wincing as tubes dragged through his skin, but reached determinedly for his brother.  
“Luc?”

“Molly!”  
Lucien moved into Mollymauk’s outstretched arms, and the twins held onto each other in silence.

*

“That took longer than expected.”

“Well, one meeting became two.”

“Two?”

Molly heard the suspicion in Yasha’s voice, but he was too out of it to concentrate. Lucien was there and that was good.

The door closed, and Molly realised why he had woken up. Lucien was coming in. Coming back. Where had he gone?

“Yes. I managed to set up a conversation with Uk’otoa. He runs an empire, it is a good connect-“

“Isn’t that the man Avantika had dealings with before?”

“Five years ago, Yash. And from what she told me, it was not just a business relationship they had.”

“I see.”

“Disgruntled ex-boyfriend with too much power. Who wouldn’t be wary? But look, how better to size the guy up? See exactly what we could be dealing with now he’s docked in Nicodranas? It just made sense.”

“Reckless.”

“Yasha.”

“Sometimes you two remind me exactly how alike twins can be.”

“Hey, I am not as reckless as Molly.”

“No?”

“No.”

“Reckless. The pair of you.”

***

“I was coming to warn you.”

“What?” Lucien looked up from the email he was slowly reading through on his phone.

“When I got hit. I was coming to see you.” Molly rolled over in the bed, the metal frame squeaked unpleasantly. 

Lucien looked surprised as he put the phone down and stared at his brother. All inquires had stopped in favour of light-hearted chat for the last few days. The twins were at an easy peace, and both seemed to be enjoying it so much that Lucien had not asked again. But Molly had thought about it deeply and knew he had to try.

“Did you say, ‘warn’ me?”

“Yeah. About Lorenzo.”

“Oh, Molly. Not-“

“No, you gotta listen to me. He-“

“Molly, I have already had the meeting.”

“He’s gonna-“

“Molly.”

“I know he’s gonna-“

“Molly! I already had the meeting with Lorenzo!”

“You WHAT? When?”

“Yesterday. While you were in for those tests.”

“You didn’t tell me.”

“After how you reacted last time? Of course I didn’t.”

“But-“

“Look, Mol, it went fine. I took every precaution. I had a bouncer outside the office door, I had numerous weapons close at hand, Yasha was here just a phone call away. I was safe, Mol. I promise you.”

“Tha’s not the point...”

“It went well, Molly. I promise you. Nothing went down. He has agreed to work with me and now we have opened up an avenue with Shadycreek. It’s the best possible outcome. You don’t need to worry. Alright?”

“Luc... He scares me.”

Lucien seemed to really take this in for a moment. Crimson met crimson and as so often happened these days, the younger Tealeaf twin looked much older. Mollymauk looked fearfully over at him like a terrified puppy, and Lucien was hurrying to his side without a seconds thought. 

“Molly. Molly, it’s alright. I promise you. You don’t need to be scared. Molly...”

Maybe it would all be alright. Maybe Lorenzo had just been bluffing. Trying to frighten Molly. Well, it had worked like it always did. Maybe Lucien could outsmart him. He certainly couldn’t overpower the orc of a man, but if anyone could navigate through an agreement with Lorenzo it was Lucien. And he certainly was well guarded. Surrounded at all hours by bouncers and bodyguards and Yasha too.

Yes.  
Mollymauk decided to try not to obsess over it. After all, look where it got him. He didn’t want to push his brother away again.

“It’s been a week for good business arrangements, actually.” Lucien went on. 

“How?”

“I’ve made two high-powered connections. The other one is a monumental player in this game. He runs a dating app, huge thing. Turns over millions each year. But underneath it he deals in all sorts. No one knows how much, but he has an easy foot in every market we could hope to breach. I mean it, anything you can think of- Uk’otoa can get it. Or get rid of it. It’s crazy.”

“You gonna ask him to get rid of me next time I piss you off then?” Mol asked with a grin.

“Fuck off. If I did no one would ever see you again. Your social security would be scrapped, all records gone. Everything would disappear, like you never existed.”

“So that’s a maybe?”

“Shut up.”

Molly laughed. Lucien did too. That made Molly happy.

*

“LUCIEN TEALEAF YOU ARE SO DEAD!”

“Ooooh, Luc you’re in trouble.”

The door to Mollys hospital room banged open.

Lucien leapt to his feet beside the bed. Cards tumbled to the floor, scattering the tower the twins had been building.

Molly plumped up his pillows, watching the chaos. It was nice not to be the one being yelled at for a change.

Avantika stormed into the room, flaming red curls livid all around her. Enraged eyes found the younger twin and in two strides she had crossed the room and slapped him a strike bang on the jaw.

Molly had to admit, he was impressed. But family loyalty would always win and he shouted,  
“Oi!”

“Don’t you even start!” Avantika snapped, holding a finger up to Mollymauk without taking her eyes off Lucien.

“Tia, it all went fine-“

“That’s what you think!”

“I KNOW it all went fine, Tia. Truly.”

“He’s moored up right next to the Squall-Eater! I woke up this morning and he’s right there! Uk’otoa moved three spaces over in the middle of the night, just to make a point, Luc!”

“Sounds like a right prick.”

“Thank you, Mollymauk! Yes he is!”

Molly snorted. His brother pushed back.  
“He was perfectly charming to me, Tia. Clearly power-hungry, obviously dangerous, but nothing special. Nothing I cannot h-“

“Y’know, this’ll be the second person this week you been warned not to mess with who you then went and met anyway, Luc.”

“You are not helping, Mol.”

“Not tryin’ to help. Tellin’ you how it is. You ignored me about Lorenzo. Now you’re ignorin’ this bitch about Uk’otoa too.”

Avantika poked Lucien hard in the shoulder with long painted nails.  
“See?! Now you know something has to be very wrong when Mollymauk and I agree on something!”

The entire room paused.  
Privately, they all seemed to know that she had a point.

“It is done, anyway.” Lucien said cooly. “No point worrying about it now. We are in business together, and I shall keep a close eye on it. He even mentioned you, Tia.”

“Excuse me?”

“Uk’otoa told me that he was hoping to reconnect with you. He said it’s been too long, and he’s proud of how far you’ve come since he last saw you. He said he always hoped you would ‘learn, grow and  
be rewarded.’ He seemed to genuinely- Tia?!”

But Avantika had gone. 

Mol whistled from the bed.  
“Damn you fucked up there, bro.”

“Molly…”  
Lucien sat down heavily on the bed. Mol pulled up his knees to make more room, which his brother shifted into gratefully. 

“Look, it ain’t none of my business, I got it. But… Luc, you’re fuckin’ up here. An’ you know it.”

“I know.”

“You still with Caleb?”

“Yes.”

“You still with her?”

“Yes.”

“Caleb know?”

“Yes.”

“So, that’s better then, I guess. How’s it workin’?”

“They are both well aware how… Noncommittal I am. They know what can be expected.”

“Noncommittal? Luc, you’re livin’ with him!”

“It’s more complicated than that, Molly.”

“Tell me then.”

“I just… I am not comfortable having pressure put on me. I do not like expectations like that. Of… way off futures, and rings and kids. Nothing like that. I can’t even remember my own life from more than a few years ago, how can I possibly make a life like… I don’t know. I just… They know that I cannot be like that.”

“Well… Long as you’re all happy I guess.”

“It works, for now.”

“Okay.”

“Mol?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you for opening the door the other day. It… Well, it prompted some long overdue conversations.”

“No problem.”

“Cocky bastard.”

“Poncy prick.”

***

[From: Baybee  
‘hey babez, miss u. still in hospital? Fancy a visit? Love u]

*

It had all worked out perfectly. Lucien had gone to another meeting with Uk’otoa. (One very loud phone call from Avantika had tipped Molly off before Lucien said anything.) Yasha had gone with him, at Molly’s request, to be a bodyguard. He had no tests scheduled, nothing at all except a quiet afternoon watching trash tv. Or so he’d told them. 

About an hour after the two of them left the hospital, Molly got a knock on his door, and a pair of hazel eyes peered into the room.

“Coast clear?”

“Yeah, come in baybee.”

“Fucking hell you look like shit.”

“All for you, sexy.”

“For real, fucking hell babes.” Cree took up Lucien’s place, sat on the side of Molly’s bed. Her waist curved in a perfect arch as she leaned on one hand to look closer at his face.

“Broke your nose again didn’t you?”

“Yeah, and a bunch of ribs.”

“Shit.”

“Feels ar’right now. Stitches come out next week then I can fuck off outta here.”

“You okay? Must be jonesing like mad.” 

“You got no fuckin’ idea. They got me on some pain killer stuff but it’s weak as shit, can’t sleep properly unless they knock me out.”

“They do that often?”

“When I kick up a fuss, yeah. They don’t want me hurting myself or stressin’ so much I pull the stitches.”

“Clever fucker.”

“So you got somethin’ for me then?”

“Sure do.”

“Gimmie.”

“Look, though, right- I can’t exactly dose you up in here. They’d get super sus’ and I’d be in for it. But I got you pills, okay?”

“Yeah yeah, anything baybee. I fuckin’ love you.”

“Love you too, sexy idiot. Here”

Something small and bright white balanced on the tip of her tongue. Cree leaned in and Molly kissed her. Her mouth tasted of smoke and sugar. Mollymauk lapped it up. He seized handfuls of her patchworked dress and pulled her up properly onto the bed with him. Cree was giggling onto his lips. 

“Fuckin’ missed you.”

“Yeah, how much?”

“Fuck me.”

“Fuck you.”

“Fuck you.”

*

“GODS ON EARTH, MOLLY WHAT THE FUCK?!”

“Shit!”

“Who the hell are you?”

“Lucien, it’s me you dumbass!”

“What?”

Cree slid off Molly, straightening her dress as he dragged his pajama pants back on.  
“Jeez, Lucien, Mol said you were fucked in the head now but I didn’t think it’d be this bad. It’s me. Cree? Used to work together, used to call you ‘boss’ even. Tomb takers, underground runners? We were gonna change the world? No? Huh, fuck babes you were right.”

Seemingly disappointed but quickly over it, Cree tied her dreadlocks back into a ponytail and bent to kiss Molly goodbye.  
“See you soon, babes.”

“Yeah definitely. And Thanks, y’know for…”

“Anytime.”

Then the door closed behind her and Cree was gone.  
Lucien rounded on Mollymauk.

“What the hell are you playing at, Mol? In hospital?!”

“Oh come on, Luc, don’t tell me you wouldn’t. If you was here, you’d have had that sea bitch every damn day you could. And had Caleb bringing you snacks for after. Don’t reckon Caleb’s the public indecency type though, else you’d have banged him an’ all.”

Lucien shook his head.  
“You’re utterly ridiculous.”

Molly bowed to his twin from the bed.

“Look, Mol…”  
Lucien walked around the bed and sat down decidedly away from where he had last seen Cree. 

“Can I… Can we… Talk?”

“Sure. Whassup?”

“I wanted to ask some things. About… about me. About… before.”

“Oh.”

Well, this was new. Lucien had wholeheartedly avoided talking about his past. The twins had tried several times in the weeks after rediscovering each other, but every time left things more fractured. Molly got upset and Lucien got frustrated. So they just never spoke about it after that.

“I know. I know. And I really don’t want this to be an argument, Mol. I promise. I really do just want to know some things. If you’re… okay with talking about it?”

“Luc, it’s your life too. Course we can talk about it. Jus… jus don’ get mad if I get sad, ar’right?”

“I promise.”

“So… What you wanna know?”

“Well, for starters, who is Cree? How does she know me?”

“Shit, Luc couldn’t have started with childhood pets or something?”

“Did we have childhood pets?”

“Nahh.”

“Well then.”

“Ar’right. Cree… Well, she was kinda… Your…”

“Oh gods, Mol, don’t tell me she’s my ex girlfriend?”

“No! Gods no! No, she was your like, right hand lady. Like, second in command. Of the Tomb Takers.”

“And what is the Tomb Takers?”

“They was your group.”

“My?”

“Yeah. Like your gang, only less motorbikes and patches. More secret meetings and planning shit.”

“What did we do? At these meetings?”

“Well, I didn’t do shit. You was in charge, Luc. I just sat an’ watched you.”

*

Lucien had always had a way of making everyone else in a room fall silent, just with a look. He barely even needed to move a muscle. Mol loved it. He sat opposite Cree, playing footsie under the long table and trying not to smirk, watching his brother hold court like a King. Mol was happy to be Prince. He barely understood half of what Lucien was on about, but it sounded exciting and big. 

Night after night, the Tomb Takers gathered around the same table in the basement hidden deep under the ground and talked. Months passed and the foundations of a plan were falling into place. Lucien was going to bring changes. Huge changes. The city would never be the same again, he told them. They, his chosen few, would help him rise to power and topple all else. Wipe out the wicked and the false. Blow away the liars and the cheats. The rich would fall, the weak would grow strong. The corrupt would be destroyed and in the dust they would emerge victorious. And how Nicodranas would love them.  
Mol liked the plan for the explosives alone. They sat piled up around them now, all set and ready to be transported into place. Tonight they would act. Tonight they would detonate Luciens plan.

Tonight it all went wrong.

*

“So, we were going to do a Guy Fawkes?!” Lucien breathed, eyes wide, as Mol told his story. 

“Pretty much, yeah. You used to read me stories about him when we was kids.”

“I did?”

“Yeah, you was always better at words than me. You showed me the pictures and told me what it said. We’d stay up ages under the covers in your bed.”

“Were we ever caught?”

“Sometimes.”

“What happened?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing? Our parents weren’t annoyed?”

“Not with you.”

“With you then?”

“Course. Always annoyed with me. You was the good kid. Bright future an’ all that.”

“Mol…”

“It’s fine.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Why you sorry for?”

“Because I don’t remember.”

“I’m glad one of us don’t.”

“Mol. You never talk about them. Our mother and father.”

“Nope.”

“Can I ask about them?”

“What you wanna know?”

“What were they like?”

“Crap.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Hardly ever there, always off meeting posh rich snobs, wheedlin’ to be in their good books. Forever chasin’ more. More cash, more shitty paintings for the house, more friends in high places, more power and influence. Fuck they even changed our surname, didn’t think Tealeaf was good enough for their society.”

Lucien frowned, shuffling to sit back against the pillows beside his brother.  
“They changed our name?”

“Yep. Call themselves ‘Briarwood’ now.”

“Wait, Mol, our parents are still alive?!”

“Yeah, why?”

“I thought- from the way you spoke about them- I thought- I thought they must be dead!”

“Fuck no, they’re still kickin’ it up North.”

“Where?”

“Whitestone.”

“Whitestone? Mol that’s… Fuck, Mol that’s thousands of miles away!”

“Yeah, and? You don’t think I was gonna stick around after we left, did ya? Hell no, I took you as far away as I could get. Carnival helped with most of that, course. Got further than we did on foot.”

“Why did we leave, how old were we?”

“Just before our 16th Birthday.”

“What happened, Mol?”

Mollymauk leaned back, resting his head against the bed frame and blinking up at the strip lighting on the grey ceiling.  
“They just… It all got too much. Kept pushing. All they wanted was shit. All they wanted us to be was shit. Nothing I did was enough. They realized after a while that I was a lost fuckin’ cause and then they set sights on you and I just… I snapped, okay? I couldn’t let them do that to you. You was doin’ so good. You knew what you wanted. They tried to stop me, but I couldn’t let them break you. So I just… asked you to come and we went. Out the window and away. Gave the house the middle finger as we hopped the wall, then gone. Into the night.”

Lucien was very quiet and still. The room seemed to go mute, as silence rolled on.  
“Did they hurt you, Mol?”

Mollys fingers twitched. He slowly began to itch the scared spots on the inside of his elbows as he answered his twin.  
“When they wanted to teach me a lesson, yeah.”

“What did they do?”

“Depends. When I crashed fathers Ferrari they pulled me outta school for a month and sent me to a Young Offenders camp. When I shouted at them, they took away my cd’s. When I failed exams I got the old whack-a-roo.”

“The?”

“Fathers belt.” Mol said simply.

“Shit.”

“I’ve had worse. Is ar’right.”

“I don’t care, Mol, that’s shit. Did they… I mean, did I get… the same?”

“Not when I could help it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you did better in school anyways, but if you ever dropped I just made sure I did worse. Y’know. Give ‘em something else to focus on.”

“What did you do?”

“Uhhh, well like one time you got so caught up in reading this book you found on some old ancient city, you totally forgot to revise for a Geography exam. You was so freaked out all the way to school, so I just… Well, I mean I didn’t revise either so I just made sure my paper was fucked. Answered stupid shit to the multiple choices and for the essay bit I just wrote ‘fuck this place,’ all over the page. You got a B but I got a weeks detention and a note home. Sure as shit, they didn’t care about your B. It was great!”

“Mol…” 

Looking round, Mol was startled. Lucien had one hand over his mouth, he looked as though he was about to cry.  
“Luc, what the fuck?” Mol took his twins hand. “I swear they never did anything to you. I made sure. You’re okay.”

“That’s not the- Molly that’s not the point!” Lucien grabbed his brother and brought their foreheads together. “I love you.” He mumbled. “So much.”

Mol swallowed.  
“I love you too, Luc.” He reached up to kiss Lucien’s forehead. “Forever and always.”

“So…” Lucien seemed to be struggling to keep his voice normal. “So, what happened with the Tomb Takers? Why didn’t we do the Guy Fawkes thing?”

Mol growled deep in his throat.  
“Someone dobbed us in. Got cold feet last minute. Cops raided us halfway through that last meeting. Everyone managed to get out the back doors, but they chucked some mental gas thing down there with us. These capsules exploded an’ all I could see was red. Red smoke, red you, red floor. We was the last ones out and we just kept on runnin’. Saw red for weeks after. Only just got away in time too.”

“Ah, so that’s why our eyes are messed up?” Lucien examined Mollys eyes closely. Crimson stains bleached out all the colour from both pairs. “Because the cops gassed us with something?”

Mol grimaced. “Yup. Never found out what the fuck it was though.” 

“What colour were they originally?”

“Wanna see? Pass my bass.”

Lucien hopped off the bed and retrieved the guitar Yasha had brought in for Mol the day he woke up. Mol hadn’t even needed to ask. It was his pride and joy. His one thing. His only thing.  
When he had it back in his hands, Molly fiddled with a couple of screws on the pick guard, loosening them until he could slip a finger underneath the plastic and pull out a crumpled old photograph.

The image was bright, taken inside one of the booths in a shopping mall in a city far far to the north. The twins faces were nestled up next to each other, grinning into the camera. They looked young. Unblemished, unmarked, no ink. Their hair was shorter, but clearly being grown out. Each sported rich violet curls, reaching to just the tips of their ears. Molly had one lip ring, it looked fresh and home-made. Lucien wore a hoodie with peacock feathers lining the hood. They had their arms flung around each others shoulders. And the four eyes smiling out of the photograph were whole un-marred green. 

“Wow.” Lucien looked and looked. Molly watched his brother, smiling. This was nice. And easier than he’d thought. ‘Wow’ really was the right word.

“That’s from right after we joined Fletching and Moondrop’s.” Molly told Lucien. “Just before Christmas. We was on tour by the 20th.”

“How old are we here?” Lucien traced the lines of the photograph with a finger.

“Uhhh hangon.” Molly raised his hands and counted off the years. “19.” He said finally.

“What did we do before the circus?”

“Whatever we could. Stole, begged, conned folks. I found a guitar in a skip one time, played on a corner for cash. Then we used it all and sold the guitar to get train tickets further south.”

“We lived on the streets?”

“Yuh. Always kept us warm and dry though. Doorways, old buildings. Sometimes shelters took us in if they had room. Then in summer we slept in parks. On the kids playgrounds. Watching the stars. Tried to count them so many times. Never got them all.”

Lucien looked as though he was wrestling with himself. Molly waited, watching his twin pour over the photo as though trying to commit it to memory.

“Why don’t you wear shoes?” He asked, at last. “I got the impression it had something to do with all this, but couldn’t work it out.”

Mol sniffed a short laugh.  
“You was always the clever one, Luc.” He shook his head, smile still in place. “Well, one winter it was awful. Just kept getting colder and colder. All the shelters was full, no one was bein’ generous with cash, we was stealin’ more than ever and kept moving so we didn’t get caught. Nights was the worst. Wherever we was, woke up freezin’. Then your boots gave up. They’d been fucked for ages but one day it was pissing down an’ you stepped in this puddle an’ your feet came out without the boots. They sorta just came apart. You was soaking wet, could’ve got hyp-oh-th-am-e-a or whatever, so I gave you my docs. Weren’t in great nick, but they did you ‘til we got to the circus. I just, didn’t bother after that.”

“But Mol, that’s stupid, you could have-“

“I’m the oldest.” Mol said firmly. “I took you with me, I’m meant to look after you. Honest, Luc, I don’t care. I never cared long as you was okay.”

And he didn’t. Mollymauk would give anything for his brother. His shoes were the very least he could do. 

“Thank you for telling me all this.” Lucien settled back again, lying beside Mol, who yawned and stretched out, curling into his twins side like a kitten.

Lucien wrapped an arm around Molly and closed his eyes.

“Can I take a copy of this?” He tapped the photograph as he handed it back.

“Course.”

“Molly, you should probably know, I’m seeing Lorenzo again next week. He’s taking me over to the warehouses to go over the inventory for our first shipment. I just… You’ve been so honest with me, I want to do the same.”

Mol stiffened, hearing the name. But he refused to ruin this moment, so he just said,

“Okay. Tell me how it goes, yeah?” He held up his pinky finger. “Promise?”

Lucien entwined his own pinky with his twins.

“Promise.”

***


	9. Sweet-talk and Stitches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (i got a busy next week of work so here have some more while I have the energy to write!)
> 
> Arti ran his tongue along his top lip, drawing Molly in with deep emerald eyes.  
> “Revisit any time you want.”
> 
> He was fucking intoxicating if you got too close. In fact, Mollymauk found himself frequently attempting to get as close as he could to their lead guitarist at gigs and rehearsals.
> 
> “So, your place after?”
> 
> “Can’t. Jessie’s over for brother-sister movie marathon night. Non-negotiable, she said.”
> 
> “Fuck.”
> 
> “I could always give you a ride home..?”
> 
> Wicked grins spread across both faces.
> 
> Mol shifted his bass around to his hip, stepping in to murmur into Arti’s ear,  
> “Back seat serenade hey?”
> 
> .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .  
> This fic is based on an RP a group of cosplayers have going on our discord server.  
> I'm mostly posting for my own fun, and as I am playing 'BloodHunter' I have to edit everything to be from just his point of view.  
> This is a MafiaAU so there WILL be violence, drug use, booze, sex etc.
> 
> THIS CHAPTER INCLUDES ALLUDING TO SEX
> 
> .

Chapter Nine. Sweet-talk and Stitches. 

“A five six seven ten!” 

Mollymauk began to thwack the strings of his bass, hearing the swell of sound as the rest of the band began to play ‘Scotty Doesn’t Know.’  
They had argued for at least a week about which song to trial the auditioning drummers with, and eventually had drawn straws for it.  
Arti had won. 

‘Smug prick.’ Mol thought with a grin, as he threw a wink across the little stage towards the mass of ginger hair bobbing in time with the riff. 

Mol craned in over his microphone and belted out the first verse, moving across to join Arti as they leaned their heads together to sing the chorus.

“Whadda you think?” Mol asked under his breath, as the last notes petered out and the room fell into chatter. 

“Very good.” Arti swung his guitar over his shoulder, turning with Mol to look across at the young woman standing up from behind the drum kit. 

“Reckon she out-played the rest?”

“I do, actually.” Arti nodded. “And she’s been working security for the last couple of years. Could come in handy, that. Especially with you around.”

Mol shoved his elbow hard into Arti’s ribs. 

“Fuck off, I’m an angel.”

“Demon, more like. ‘Devil Tongue’ Molly.”

“You’d know.”

Arti ran his tongue along his top lip, drawing Molly in with deep emerald eyes.  
“Revisit any time you want.”

He was fucking intoxicating if you got too close. In fact, Mollymauk found himself frequently attempting to get as close as he could to their lead guitarist at gigs and rehearsals.

“So, your place after?”

“Can’t. Jessie’s over for brother-sister movie marathon night. Non-negotiable, she said.”

“Fuck.”

“I could always give you a ride home..?”

Wicked grins spread across both faces.

Mol shifted his bass around to his hip, stepping in to murmur into Arti’s ear,  
“Back seat serenade hey?”

The response he got was low, soft like butter wouldn’t melt, and it lit up the hairs down the back of Molly’s neck.  
“Whiskey Princess.”

“Damn right I am.”

“You know, Yasha hasn’t pulled us apart yet.” Arti noted, hot breath trickling down Molly’s collarbone. “I feel like she should have banged our heads together by now.”

“And threatened to rip our dicks off if we don’t keep things professional, yeah.” Mol mused. “I wonder how much longer we’ve got?”

Both of them turned to check.

“OI OI!”

Their shouts seemed to jolt through the air. The tall strong woman straightened up from the back wall, where she’d been laughing and listening intently to the shorter woman’s jokes. There was a misty dazed look about her that made Mol delighted for his friend.

“So you like this one too then, hey?” Mol called over to Yasha, who to her credit managed to mask any embarrassment from showing on her face.

“Yes. The best drummer we’ve seen all day.” She agreed, calmly, ignoring Molly’s wiggling eyebrows.

“That’s you-nam-e-nus then!” Molly declared. 

He strode over to the other pair and held out a hand.

“You’re in! Welcome to The Ice Spinners, Beau!”

*

“Fhhuuuccckkk! Fuck fuck FUCK!”

“I will choke you if you don’t hush!”

“Do it, you kinky shit!”

“Lay back then, ‘Devil Tongue’!”

“Fhhnnnnnkkkk!”

*

Molly staggered out of Arti’s car clutching his bass. He leaned on the window frame, catching his breath as Arti fastened his seat belt.

“Reckon Yash and Beau got up to much on their carpool?”

“Nahh, they’re both too shy to make the first move.” Arti brushed a thumb down Molly’s mouth. “Maybe we should encourage them in the ways of rampant sexual liaisons.”

“That’d be dangerous. We’d never get any practicing done.”

“Don’t you get all sensible on me now. Impulsive whimsy is what keeps you interesting.”

“Yeah, that an’ the gear.”

“I find you far more fascinating off the stuff, to be honest.”

Mol snorted.  
“Yeah right. Later, Arti. Sexy fucker.”

“Later, Devil Tongue!”

*** 

“Soooo, how’s Beau doing?”

“Molly, your coco is getting cold.”

“So I’ll microwave it in a bit, tell me about your date!”

Yasha sighed. But Molly decided that he could see the hint of a smile behind her exasperation with him. 

“It was, ah... Very nice.”

“Very nice?” Mol repeated. “You scored a date with a hott bitchin’ drummer, and all you gotta say is ‘it was very nice!’ That code for ‘we banged on the pool table?’ ‘Cause I did that before and Luc was piiiissssseddd.”

A heavy hand cuffed him around the ear.

“Some people enjoy the romance of getting to know each other before shagging, Molly.”

“Ew, why?”

“Because it’s-“

“If you say ‘very nice’ again I’m gonna throw this hot chocolate on you.”

As a retort, Yasha swept her leg out. Molly found the world tumbling around him as he was knocked onto the casino floor.

“Oww!”

“You’re all healed up now, don’t get cheeky.”

Grumbling under his breath, Molly sat forwards and dragged himself up, hanging onto the bar.  
“But you like her, right?”

Molly loved Yasha’s eyes. They were the colours of two galaxies far off in space, and whenever she was happy they lit up like stars peppered across the iris’s. They were glowing now. All around the woman, the very air was pulsing with colours.

Yasha was stormy grey, colossal but gentle. Her power showed itself in strength, but in subtle ways too. The more important ways; bear hugs and tender kisses, late night chats when the world felt lost, learning songs and keeping everyone safe.

Lucien had shifted colours since Molly had found him again. When they were growing up, the younger Tealeaf had been dotted with scarlet. Now he stood surrounded in swirls of amber. It reminded Molly of Caleb. Perhaps it was a sign the two were meant to be. Sometimes Molly believed in soulmates. He could never imagine one for himself though.

Cree was special. She was speckled with gold. Molly could never take his eyes off it once they got started. Sex or drugs, there it was. And there she was, and gods did he want her all around him.

Arti was green. He wore it like a cloak billowing all around him.

Beau was yellow. Molly wasn’t sure why, but there she was. Whenever he caught the colours in his vision, she was sunny and bright.

That sea bitch was dull murky green. Like sludge dredged up from murky waters then caked in mud. Molly wasn’t sure if it was he or the universe casting Avantika in that grimy glow, but he doggedly avoided asking himself the question.

“So when you move in together, can I have my own room?” Mol asked eagerly, licking whipped cream off his drink.

“Of course.”

“Can I have a bunk bed?”

“Of course you can.”

“Can I get one of our huge stage posters and hang it all along one wall?”

“Mhmm.”

“Can I have a walk-in closet?!”

“Sure.”

“For real?!”

“Drink your coco, Molly.”

*** 

It was shaping up to be a pretty kick-ass day, Mol thought. His ribs didn’t ache anymore. The last three band practices had been fantastic. They had six gigs lined up. AND he’d found the perfect shade of purple hair dye in a cute little market stall.

He was now sat in the dead centre of his room at the casino, in an explosion of jeans, shirts and fabrics, gnawing on a thread.

“Ha!” The strand broke, and Mol tied the end off happily, holding up his handiwork for inspection.

All in all, it wasn’t a bad job. Molly had learned a great many things since running away all those years ago, but the most valuable things were from the circus.  
It had been Gustav who took note of the way Molly stared from the wings every time the aerialists took flight. It had been Desmond who taught the twins to balance and walk and then soar. It had been Ornna who had found Molly sobbing over a torn pair of striped pants he’d caught on something mid-show, and it had been she who sat with him day after day teaching him how to sew. Molly was never as slick-fingered as she, or as delicate, but he managed to salvage one half of the striped pants, forging a new pair with some diamond patterned fabric Gustav gifted to him when they refurbished the Big Top. 

Now Mol was concentrating hard. His pointy tongue stuck out of the corner of his mouth as he threaded the needle again and pulled the next pair of jeans towards him.  
They were all tattered and grubby, but some were almost too destroyed to walk in. These he was determined to rescue.  
He chopped a rough square out of the arm of an old shirt he never wore anymore, and set about stitching it onto a shredded calf of the faded black jeans. 

It was rare to catch Mollymauk in such moments of absolute focus, but they did happen. A peaceful tranquillity settled over the bedroom, punctured occasionally by Mol’s yelps of, “Motherfucker!” when he stabbed his thumb. 

He was listening to a playlist he’d made the previous year, using one of Lucien’s old laptops that was buried somewhere beneath a pile of fabric scraps.  
Mol sang along as he worked, toes tapping along with the bass line which he’d just finished learning. 

“I'll walk you in the sunshine  
Come on honey, come along with me  
She's got everything delightful  
She's got everything I need- OWCH!”

Mol sucked on the tip of his thumb, then tied off the last few stitches.

“Cool.”  
Getting to his feet, Mol brushed stray threads off his clothing and tugged on his current jeans, dropping them onto the ever growing pile of stuff that made up his bedroom floor. 

Stood in front of the mirror, the full effect was terrific.  
Old black denim was shot through with streaks of patchwork technicolour.  
Mol beamed at his reflection as he preened and pranced around in a circle.  
The next song rolled on and Mol punched the air as he danced up and down.

“Party party party, I wanna have a party!  
I need to have a party! You better have a party!  
Come on, party party party!  
You gotta party hardy, I’m gonna have a party!  
Or else you will be-“

*Vvvvvvt Vvvvvvvt*

His ringtone kicked into gear, filtering through the rousing chorus.  
*Guess who just got back today  
Them wild eyed boys that had been away  
Haven't changed, hadn't much to say  
But, man, I still think them cats are crazy*

“Suuup?”

“Molly? It is Caleb. I, ah…”

“Caleb? Whassup?”  
A niggle of uncertainty twinged.

“I do not know, Molly. I, ah, perhaps it is nothing. But… But…”

The niggle had reached Molly’s throat.  
“Whas wrong?”

“Lucien has not come home.”

There it was. 

“Where is he?”  
Somehow, Molly already knew the answer.

“Well, he- I am sure that Lucien told you he was going. Or he told me that he would inform you how it all went. He didn’t wish to worry you, Molly.”

“Where is he?”

“He went with Lorenzo. Hours ago. I do not wish to cause a panic, but he was supposed to be back at 3.”

Molly crashed through the mess to seize the little clock on the bedside table.

20:06

“Shit, shit Caleb!”

“His meetings have run long before, but… This is…”

“I’ll KILL HIM!”

“Molly, no. No, this could all be a misunderstanding. Please don’t do anything rash.”

“I’m going. I’ll call when I’ve got Luc.”

“Molly, please be c-“

But Mol had already hung up.

*


	10. Wounds Old and New

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This had to be bad. It couldn’t be anything else. Lucien wasn’t so careless; he would never leave Caleb like this for so long. It had to be something. Lorenzo knew how to hurt you in ways you could not even imagine. That man knew how to hold you down, how to tear you apart and then make you wish he never let go. It all got so much worse. Everything always got so much worse.
> 
> “LUC?!” It all came flooding out in a wave of dread.
> 
> Molly felt his face hot and sticky as he blundered down aisle after aisle, the inky blackness lapping up his tears, laughing at him, dragging him down.
> 
> Then.
> 
> A light.
> 
> There was a door ahead. An office at the far back of the warehouse. Underneath the frame spilled a pale glow.
> 
> Molly ran. 
> 
> ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An Alternative Universe Mafia setting, featuring characters from Critical Role campaigns 1 & 2.
> 
> This fic is based on an RP a group of cosplayers have going on our discord server.  
> I'm mostly posting for my own fun, and as I am playing 'BloodHunter' (Mollymauk) I have to edit everything to be from just his point of view.  
> This is a MafiaAU so there WILL be violence, drug use, booze, sex etc.
> 
> WARNING  
> WARNING  
> This chapter contains reference and alludes to sexual violence, drugs and fighting, murder etc.  
> DO NOT READ IF ANY OF THIS IS TRIGGERING FOR YOU
> 
> Loads of Love.

Blood.  
Chapter Ten. 'Wounds Old and New'

“Luc?”

The warehouse was silent as the grave. Molly swallowed back the horrible thoughts trickling into his mind as he pressed on through the packing crates and into the gloom. 

“Luc?”

Boxes upon boxes sat piled around him; great towering monsters rearing up out of the darkness.

Mollymauk was a little afraid of the dark.

“Luc?!” He was desperate now; it began to show with the crack in his voice. A waver, a tremble. Molly bit his lip and wobbled the snakebite rings hard. They twisted into his skin, pinpricks of discomfort to settle him, concentrate his hammering heart on something other than panic.

On and on he walked, through the maze of shipments.

Maybe his brother wasn’t here. Maybe this was all some big joke. Maybe nothing at all had happened. Mol paused.

Maybe Lucien was with that sea bitch.

Fuck.

Mol dragged his phone out of a back pocket and tapped through his contacts. He had begrudgingly taken Avantika’s number from Luc, just in case anything came up. He supposed now that was a good thing.

It rang. 

And rang.

And rang.

“If you don’ pick up ‘cause you’re too busy screwin’ my brother, I swear I’ll-“

“Hello, Fish In The Sea executive speaking.”

“You’re back working with that guy?!”

“Excuse m- oh for fucks sake, Mollymauk?!”

“Yeah it’s fuckin’ Mollymauk! Is Luc with you?”

“I hardly see how that’s any of your business.”

“TELL ME!!”

“Get fucked, Mollymauk.”

“No, listen, it’s fuckin’ important! Is he with you?”

There was a silence on the other end.

“No. He’s not with me. Are you happy now?”

“Fuckin’ delighted.” Molly hung up.

“Shit. Shit shit SHIT!”

This had to be bad. It couldn’t be anything else. Lucien wasn’t so careless; he would never leave Caleb like this for so long. It had to be something. Lorenzo knew how to hurt you in ways you could not even imagine. That man knew how to hold you down, how to tear you apart and then make you wish he never let go. It all got so much worse. Everything always got so much worse.

“LUC?!” It all came flooding out in a wave of dread.

Molly felt his face hot and sticky as he blundered down aisle after aisle, the inky blackness lapping up his tears, laughing at him, dragging him down.

Then.

A light.

There was a door ahead. An office at the far back of the warehouse. Underneath the frame spilled a pale glow.

Molly ran. 

A toolbox seemed to come out of nowhere and he tripped. Hands clutched at cardboard boxes, which came apart and showered him in foam nuggets as he tore through the last stretch towards that slither of light.

Fingers rang with sweat and tears as they scrabbled for the handle.

Which turned.

The door swung open.

.

.

.

“Well, look who’s finally come to join the party!”

Molly reeled. A string of tears hung off his chin as he could do nothing but stand and stare.

It was like watching a memory, reliving it all in horrifying technicolour. Every inch was the same. Every hand in the same places. Big burly ones clutched at a blade pinned into flesh, dirty nails dug into hips. Then the softer, paler hands scratching and clawing at the desk, burning to get away.

“M-Mol- g-ghh- get out-t-t-ve- he-ere!”

The knife was exactly the length of Lucien’s throat. Lorenzo would have chosen it specially. Molly recognised it. Molly knew it. Molly had taken its bite before. 

“Took your sweet time, little Molly. I thought you’d be here hours ago.” Lorenzo leaned in closer and Lucien’s hips jerked. “Your brother here has had to entertain me all by himself. He’s desperate for you to take over.”

Two pairs of crimson stained eyes met, and Molly saw Lucien begging him wordlessly. Pleading. Straining against the beast pinning him over the desk. Papers were scattered, a pot of pens overturned, a laptop balanced precariously on the very edge. Mol began to breathe harder as he picked out the tracks where his twins nails had torn through the wood. 

“M-Molly-“ Lucien whispered.

“Go on. Ask him.” The victory seeped out of Lorenzo like treacle. “Ask dear little Molly to take your place. He will. You know he will.”

Lucien’s face was dragged up by thick fingers. 

“He knows, sweet Molly. I told him all about us.”

“Wh...” Molly could not look away from Lucien.

“Yhh-you- you were with him.” There was something else in Luciens eyes now. Something rising up behind the hurt. “You w-whh-were with HIM!”

Molly opened his mouth.

But nothing came out.

“YOU WERE WITH HIM, HIGH OFF YOUR ASS, WHEN I NEEDED YOU!”

“Oh it’s all coming out now, Molly.” Lorenzo crooned, pressing Lucien further down into the desk as he braced.

“I... I... yeah we were... we were together. Luc, I didn’ tell you ‘cause I was ashamed... Then it all kicked off and you... and...” 

*And you were dead, so I couldn’t tell you*

Lucien was struggling to remain upright under Lorenzo’s weight. A tinge of blood ensnared the blade at his throat.

“I d-don’t give a sh-hhhnnnnn-shit that you d-didn’t tellhhhhhhh me, Mol! But y-yhhh-you were WITH HIM when- when I was IN THAT ALLEY!”

Mollymauk’s blood ran cold. He found the door handle slipping from his grasp as the floor came rushing up to meet him.

Lorenzo was laughing. It rang around the small room, filling the air. 

“Please, Luc- I- I’m sorry!”

“Sorry?! Sorry?!” Lucien repeated, snarling through the howl of pain as Lorenzo slammed him into the desk once more. “Sorry won’t cut it this time, Mol! When I called you, when I was BLEEDING OUT, on my own, YOU WERE SHOOTING UP AND SUCKING HIS DICK!”

That much of the story had always been clear. The one memory Lucien had retained was the worst of them all. A rain-soaked alley. Night. A desperate phone call to... someone. Blood. Then nothing.  
Molly had not needed to recount that. Lucien had always known. 

“I’m sorry!” He cried now. “I’m sorry, Luc, I- I... When you called, I came running! I was there, I was there I swear, I came and found you! I called the ambulance, I got you there, I... I...”

Lucien screamed.

“Stop, please, please stop!”

But this time it wasn’t for Molly he was yelling.

Lorenzo grunted in satisfaction and threw Lucien away from him. Mol knew that noise. Falling forwards, he threw up whatever was in his stomach all over the office floor. 

How many times had Lorenzo-?

Molly stifled that thought as he choked. 

“Luc...” He crawled towards his brother but was stopped by a steel-capped boot thudding into his shoulder. 

Lorenzo was laughing again.

“Luc, please..?”

The younger twin was very still, watching Molly from where he lay.

“Please, Luc? I fucked up so bad, but I was getting out. I told him I was leavin’ the day you was... The day you...”

Gods, but why did it have to hurt so much?

“I swear I was leavin’. I was done. I came as soon as you called. I know I should’ve been there before, it should’ve been me. It should’ve been me, Luc.”

Lorenzo said nothing, but he crouched low over Molly, threading fingers through wet violet curls as he savoured listening. 

A buckle grinded on the concrete floor as Lucien pulled his black tailored pants back on and fastened them tight. Still the twins held onto each others gaze. 

“I was leaving. I was leaving him... Luc... Please?” 

Molly found himself slipping into their secret language as he begged his brother. “Luc- I love you so much, I never wanted to leave you. He kept me, Luc. He kept me there. I thought I was his boyfriend but I was so doped up I never realised I was just a prisoner. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”

Lucien surprised Molly then. Surprised him so much that both twins just lay on the manky office floor and blinked at the other.  
“I understand. I forgive you, Mollymauk. I love you too.” Lucien replied perfectly in their secret language. Hearing it after so long dragged the breath from Mollys lungs.

“Luc..?”

“Molly. Can we kill this son of a bitch now?”

Twin pairs of red lit up.

“Fuck yes.”

Oh, Lorenzo was in danger now. He didn’t realise yet, but he was in so much danger. 

The boot slammed down and Molly collapsed, smashing his face on the ground.

*If my nose is broken again, I swear to fuck imma go onstage anyway!* Mol thought angrily. 

He felt the rage then, really felt it. Not numbed out by shock and grief. Not frozen in horror watching Lucien live Mollys worst memories. No. Now it was just fire and hate and the want to KILL.

“Get the FUCK off him!”

Lucien was on his feet, and although he stood like every step was agony, he balled his fists and faced the monster in the warehouse. 

“Would you look at this, little Molly? Lucie is feeling like a brave boy.”

Lorenzo stood up, one foot ground into Molly’s spine keeping him down.

“Final warning.”  
As Lucien stood there, glaring down a demon, Molly could have sworn he was seeing his brother from 5 years ago. It was Lucien. The real Lucien. The OG, original, best brother in the entire world Lucien. The leader of the Tomb Takers, Lucien. The Lucien who could cut you down with his charm. 

Molly was as in awe now as he was back then.

Lorenzo was not laughing. Perhaps something in him had realised what a change had just come over the younger Tealeaf. Perhaps he was too arrogant to realise that anything was different. 

Whichever way it was, his foot lifted, and Molly gagged on a fresh lung-full of air.

“And what exactly are you going to do, little Lucie?” The question dug at Lucien, who answered in a voice that showed no sign of faltering now.

“Payback.”

Lucien had always been the more methodical. Planning careful action and then executing it for the best results. Mol could never concentrate long enough to pre-plan.  
So when it came to working in harmony, you could be forgiven for assuming that the twins just could not do it.

But then...

Have you ever seen the twins tag-team an enemy?

Molly went first.

He took the opportunity while Lorenzo was jeering at Lucien, to roll over and kick out hard. Mol struck the orc of a man right in the shins. 

One of Lorenzo’s knees buckled.

“You little-!”

Before Lorenzo could finish, Lucien had pounced. 

He seemed, to Mol at least, to dive across the room like a tiger. Like Frumpkin whenever Mol caught him wandering around on top of the fridge, only so so much cooler. 

“Mol, my bag!”

Lucien had caught Lorenzo around the neck and was hanging on. 

The monster roared.

Molly swung around onto all-fours, hissing as his ribs creaked. 

Bag.  
Bag...

Bag!

It was expensive leather. Of course it was. And it was sat on the far side of the desk. Mol twisted out of the way as a gruff hand swept towards him. Lucien was shouting. Lorenzo was muffled as he raged and flailed. Mol shoved his way under the desk, stretching, reaching, grasping for the long deep grey strap.

“Fuckin’ Yes!”  
Molly tugged. The bag shot towards him, its contents upending all over the office floor. Forms, notes, files of endless things Molly could never hope to understand. But there was one thing he did. A green curve of metal, skittering to a halt by his elbow. Molly seized the penknife and flicked it open. He practically sprinted backwards shuffling from under the desk, wheeling about as he threw himself into the fight.

The knife was embedded into Lorenzo as many times as Mol could manage, once in the thigh, another couple in the stomach, before he passed it off to Lucien in a flick of two wrists. The younger twin began hacking away at the raging beast’s throat. Mol looked wildly around for some kind of weapon for himself. They had to bring Lorenzo down. It was now or never ever ever. 

It was now. It was going to be now.

“He was too doped up to notice-“ Lorenzo was grappling, holding Lucien at bay with a hand, as the other clutched at his pouring throat. 

Mol fumbled with the back pocket of his jeans, feeling his way until he grabbed a hold of his last needle.

“Stupid little Molly. Always- so- stupid!” Lorenzo was gloating. It was burning out of his eyes. But Molly couldn’t work out what the monster was talking about.

Lucien made for another swing but Lorenzo fended him off.

A horrible smile was at work on those lips.

“He wishes he was sucking my dick, Lucie. But he wasn’t.”

Lucien had slowed his swing.

Everyone was paying attention now.

“Little Molly passed out in a comatose bliss, just after 10.” Lorenzo crooned. “And then ohhh then. Then I came to find you Lucie. That’s the problem with you two, you make yourselves so easy to hunt down.”

“Wh-“

“Such a simple thing. So damn easy.” The monsters eyes turned onto Molly. “You really thought I’d let you walk out on me? On ME?!”

Lucien slipped a little, still hanging onto Lorenzo’s neck.

“I was leavin’... I told you I was leavin’...”

“Yes you did, little Molly.” Lorenzo’s voice was low, rough like sandpaper working away at Molly’s chest. “And what did I tell you?”  
Molly was quiet.  
“I told you there was no fucking way you’d leave my side. And if you tried, I’d make you regret it. What? Too doped up to remember that bit, were you?”

“N...no.” Molly remembered alright. And something like ice was beginning to form in the pit of his stomach.

“And what do I find when I get home from work? Bags packed and you halfway out the window. Well, now, we couldn’t have that, could we? Had to show you what you get for treating me like that. Had to do something. Show you what you get f-“

“It was YOU?!” Molly screamed as the ice exploded inside him. “You killed Luc!!”

The monster roared with laughter. Blood pumped out of his throat, great trickles of it ran down his chin, but the teeth were bared and Lorenzo showed no sign of caving yet.

“It was me.” He jeered, flicking Lucien off with an elbow. The younger twin stood, horrified.

“You killed me?” He asked.

“I did. And it was all working out swimmingly, until that bitch had to interfere.”

“Who?” Lucien was puzzled.

Molly took another step towards Lorenzo, gripping tight onto the needle in his back pocket.

“Oh ho, yet more secrets little Molly has been keeping from you.” Lorenzo snickered. “He disappeared on me, and next thing I know, he’s gone running to that Raven Bitch and she’s ordered all these new tests and experimental procedures, and low and behold Lucien fucking Tealeaf is back alive and kicking!”

Molly felt a growl rise up in him.

“So of course, I couldn’t be having that. Went to see you, didn’t I. So fragile and helpless in that hospital bed, Lucie. I could have killed you again and finished the job, but then I thought- no. Something else could be much more satisfying.”

“You changed my name.”

“Got it in one, clever Lucie!” Molly was another step closer now, as the monster spat out laughter once more. “Used my own contacts, pulled a string or two, and then it was done. Lucien Tealeaf who? Mollymauk was lying in that bed instead, not able to remember a damn thing.”

“WHY?” Mol demanded, unable to stop himself as he stood frozen inches from Lorenzo.

But it was Lucien who answered his brother.  
“Because if I thought I was you, I wouldn’t go looking for you. If everyone thought Lucien was dead, and I was Mollymauk, there would be no reason we would... ever see eachother again.”

Lorenzo was triumphant.  
“And it worked like a charm! What a terrific joke! How funny it was, watching little Molly lose his mind when all the time little Lucie was right there!” The monster doubled over laughing. “You should have seen him, Lucie. Throwing himself into so much debt, I had dealers banging on the door looking for him. No one knew where you were. I can only imagine how many you owed. Not to mention the Raven Bitch! What could you possibly have offered to her, little Molly? To make her save him! But in a way that just made the new plan all the sweeter. The two of you separated for years, I couldn’t have asked for a bet-”  
But Lorenzo was cut off by Mollymauk.

A screech of the utmost rage escaped the man, as Molly slammed the needle directly into Lorenzo’s left eye. Deep rich salty red surrendered across agonised gargling groans.

Lucien caught Molly as he staggered, and the twins darted backwards as the wild beast clawed and slashed at the air.

They weren’t fast enough.

Lorenzo caught Lucien hard across the face, sending him slamming into the nearest wall, where he crumpled. Molly ducked one hand but the other broke past and he was thrown to the floor.

Then, with a horrible, ear-splitting howl, Lorenzo crashed down onto the ground and moved no more.

.

.

.

.

“Ow... Ouch... Ow, oow, fuck fuck fuck...”

Mol’s eyes flickered open. Crimson slits peaked out at the world.  
The warehouse was still and calm. It was dark. Lorenzo had taken out the desk lamp as he fell the final time. Overhead, the strip lighting flickered and buzzed. 

“Fuck... Luc? Luc?”

“Molly?”

Their voices were feeble across the dingy floor.

The hulking man lay sprawled on the floor. A pool of red surrounding him.

Red. Red. Red. 

“You okay? Luc, you hurt?”

“Yeah.”

“Yeah you’re hurt or yeah y-?”

“Yes I am hurt, Mol.” 

“I’m comin’.” Molly began to crawl across the office towards his twins’ voice. The world was bleary as he slowly, painfully made his way.

“Mol, we need- we need help.” Lucien whispered. He was slumped back against the wall, eyes brimming with hurt tears. As Mol dragged himself up to sit heavily beside his brother, Lucien fumbled in a pocket for his phone.

“I’m sorry...” It was Mollymauk’s feint whimper which drew Luciens eyes to him.

“It’s alright. I forgave you, Mol. I promise. It’s-”

“No, it’s not. Luc, he- he... he...”

“Don’t.”

“I should’ve got here before. Fuck, I should’ve followed you. I should never have let you-”

“Mol. Don’t. Please? It’s not your fault. I thought I could handle him. I was... wrong.”

“Luc...”

“Mol... Was that... what he was like with you?”

“...Yeah.”

“Fucking hell.”

“I never wanted you to know.”

“I’m glad I do. I was awful to you, Mol. I thought you were just... I’m sorry. I never even thought...”

“Luc, fuck that. Fuck me, I don’t care. I’m just glad you’re still... Still here.”

Lucien grabbed Mollymauk’s hand and squeezed hard.  
“I never thought about how horrible it must have been for you. I was so damn obsessed with my problems, my memory and my everything. I never thought... You... You thought I was dead. I never thought how much you had to deal with...”

“Luc, it’s fine. Really.”

“No. No it’s not.” Lucien shook his head with a groan as a bad bruising cut on his forehead throbbed. “Molly, I didn’t put it all together. I thought you’d always been... I never clicked on! It was me- me dying- that made you... Pushed you... And now you’re...”

“A useless junkie waster, yeah.”

“No, Mol.”

“Yeah.”

“No. Look, yes you’re using bad, but I wish I’d realised why. I’m a bloody idiot.”

Mol hugged into his brothers arm.  
“Shut up, Luc. I got you back, I don’t care.”

Lucien leaned back against the wall and took a long deep breath.

“I need to call Uk’otoa. He can help us clean all this up. Can you call Cad? I don’t much fancy explaining any of this shit to the hospital.”

Molly reluctantly complied.

Two phone calls for help completed, the twins sat together as the pool of Lorenzo’s blood seeped gently towards them.

...


	11. Leviathan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Maybe I am something like a guardian angel.” The low, steady voice replied.
> 
> Firm hands gripped at Molly’s arms. He looked down and met a stony glare. Uk’otoa was rubbing a thumb across the purple track-marks down Mollys right arm. A gasp escaped Mol as he winced, trying to pull away, but Uk’otoa held tight.
> 
> Those honey eyes found the tremble in the tips of Mollys fingers, the grooves of nails in skin, the grey tinge behind crimson iris’s. And something burned inside the gold now. Molly could feel it radiating onto him. Hate. Hate and disgust and vile loathing towards Molly and every ounce of his being.
> 
> *He knows.*
> 
> Uk’otoa leaned in closer, starting to wrap the bandaging around Mollys arms.  
> “Withdrawal is a bitch.” He spoke it like a fact, not a judgement. 
> 
> Somehow that worried Molly even more.
> 
> ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is based on an RP a group of cosplayers have going on our discord server.  
> I'm mostly posting for my own fun, and as I am playing 'BloodHunter' (Mollymauk) I have to edit everything to be from just his point of view.  
> This is a MafiaAU so there WILL be violence, drug use, booze, sex etc.  
> Nothing too explicit though.

Blood.  
Chapter 11, Leviathan.  
...

“After everything you said about him!”

“Lucien, please. Get over yourself. I can make my own decisions.”

“Can you both shut the fuck up?! I’m havin’ my fuckin’ arm put back in the sockEETTTTT!” There was a grinding pop, as Mol shrieked.

“Just leave him like that, it might teach him a bloody lesson!” Avantika snapped.

Caduceus tucked his hair behind an ear, and sat back in front of Molly, checking over the repaired arm.

“My apologies, there is no real fun way to do that.”

Molly liked Caduceus. He was tall and broad but in a giant teddybear way. He always placated Molly’s wish to be cuddled after a particularly bad patching-up, always had a pocket full of sweets and the previous year he had consented to allow Molly to dye his long thick hair pastel pink. Molly had been delighted when Cad had kept the colour, and the medic had been equally thrilled at Mollys pleasure. 

“Thanks, Cad. You’re amazing.” Molly mumbled, as Caduceus smiled warmly and stood up.

Both twins needed attention. Each was bleeding and battered. Lucien had insisted that Caduceus see to Molly’s arm first, while he and Avantika bickered. But Molly pressed Cad to tend to Lucien straight  
afterwards. All Mol needed was some bandaging and mopping up, which he was determined to do himself.

“What did I tell you about staying out of shit, Lucien? You’re really going to ask what I’m doing with him, when you’ve called for OUR help cleaning up this mess?!”  
Avantika was fuming to the very tips of her red hair.

“Ti-“

“How dare you say I don’t care, when I’m here to scrub this bloody FLOOR because of YOU and your IDIOT brother!”

Avantika was the least dressed-up Molly had ever seen her. Clearly she had been expecting an evening of staying at home on the sofa curled up in front of a movie, because she was wearing shorts and what looked unmistakably like a pyjama top. She had arrived bedecked in disposable rubber gloves and dragging a bucket filled with something that smelled horrendous. 

“And YOU!” She rounded on Molly where he sat, nursing his arm. “I might have known all of this would be your fault! You’re a walking disaster! And now I’m another part of your cleanup crew!”

STAMP

Avantika struck down once.

“OWWWWWW!!!!! FUCK YOU FUCKIN’ BITCH!!”

Avantika raised her heeled boot off Molly’s hand and stormed away towards her bucket, sloshing the contents over the floor and muttering darkly under her breath as she reached for a mop.

Lucien approached her, saying things Molly couldn’t make out over his own shouts of pain. Caduceus stood back, waiting for Lucien to finish.

“Get fucked, Lucien! Before I ram this up your bloody a-”

“SHUT UP!” Molly felt sick. A wave of panicked nausea swept through him at the very idea. And her threat had exactly the same effect on the younger twin. Lucien reeled and hung his head, turning back to Caduceus who began to dab carefully at his injuries. Though both twins knew, the real hurt was invisible to everyone else in that office.

“Yes. Everyone shutting up would do this situation the world of good.”  
A new voice came from the door. 

It was accompanied by a new face. A new man.

Uk’otoa stood watching them all, an expression on his face that was quite impossible to read.

So this was the man Avantika had gone back to. The man now in business with Lucien. The man who was here to clean up for them, at a price Molly could never hope to guess. 

He stood tall, as tall as Caduceus even. The twins were nearly a head beneath his chin, which was clean shaven with high cheekbones up to rich golden eyes. They bore like honeyed beacons across the scene before him, stopping everyone in their tracks.

“Right then.”

Uk’otoa walked steadily into the office. Every step was slow, determined, meaningful. 

Molly watched and could do nothing else.

Slowly, everyone fell about their business. Caduceus tried to sit Lucien down but he refused to be seated, so they stood in the far corner while the calm pink-haired medic got to work. 

Avantika, tutting and muttering the entire way, began to get rid of the blood on the floor.

Uk’otoa knelt to examine Lorenzo’s body.

Molly rubbed at his fingers, certain they must have been broken under Avantika’s heel.

A moment later he was startled by a great shadow leaning over him. Uk’otoa had finished looking over Lorenzo and moved to Molly. His shirt was a crisp clean deep navy. His slacks were pressed. His shoes shiny. Molly stared up through damp mascara’ed lashes at the man now crouching in front of him. Uk’otoa must have been pushing into his early 40’s. There were grey streaks running through silver hair, and a crinkle at the corners of his eyes. Molly wondered if they were laughter lines. Molly wondered if such a man could ever laugh.

Uk’otoa spoke, but Molly missed the words. Evidently this was what Uk’otoa had expected, because he called over to Caduceus, who handed him a roll of fresh bandages. Uk’otoa sat down, and instructed Molly to remove his shirt.

“Tease.”

His cheek got him no response. Molly obliged instead, and stripped off his shirt, letting it fall beside him. He was only just noticing how tired he was. The panic, the rage, the sorrow and hurt and fighting had all spurred him through, riding the wave of adrenaline. But now he had time to sit back... Molly was exhausted.

“Why you helpin’?” Mol asked weakly, as gold roamed across his skin.

“Maybe I am something like a guardian angel.” The low, steady voice replied.  
Firm hands gripped at Molly’s arms. He looked down and met a stony glare. Uk’otoa was rubbing a thumb across the purple track-marks down Mollys right arm. A gasp escaped Mol as he winced, trying to pull away, but Uk’otoa held tight.

Those honey eyes found the tremble in the tips of Mollys fingers, the grooves of nails in skin, the grey tinge behind crimson iris’s. And something burned inside the gold now. Molly could feel it radiating onto him. Hate. Hate and disgust and vile loathing towards Molly and every ounce of his being.

*He knows.*

Uk’otoa leaned in closer, starting to wrap the bandaging around Mollys arms.

“Withdrawal is a bitch.” He spoke it like a fact, not a judgement. 

Somehow that worried Molly even more.

“You come to ogle have you? I ain’t no pity parade.” He snapped.

“Well,” Uk’otoa spoke as though Molly had never made a sound. “The good news is that once you’re on the bottom, life is one big come-up.”  
He moved to Mollys other arm, bandaging with a critical eye over every inch as he went.

Mollymauk did not speak again. He watched Uk’otoa patch him up, even carefully tying bandages around his sore fingers. It made him uneasy. He felt exposed, examined, intruded-upon.

All the while, the man stared daggers at each and every sign of using on Molly’s body.

Consciousness was tricky to hold onto.

Eventually, Mollymauk succumbed and fell into cold darkness. 

Down.

Down.

Down...

...

When Molly opened his eyes, they were in a car. The windows were all tinted black, showing a view of rain-washed Nicodranas streets. Lucien was in the seat beside Molly, he was saying something about getting home to Caleb. How he must be worried sick.

The car pulled up outside the casino and Lucien got out with Uk’otoa. Luc thanked Avantika, who was in the driver’s seat. She shot him a sideways look but did not say anything. Then Lucien offered  
Uk’otoa a hand. 

“Thank You. You saved our asses.” 

Uk’otoa shook hands, saying calmly,  
“All part and parcel of our partnership, Lucien. I have no doubt that you will both repay me some day.”

“Luc...” Molly struggled to sit upright as Uk’otoa opened the back door this time, and got in beside Molly.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then, Mol.” His brother called as the door began to close.

“Wait, what? No! I’m coming in too!”

But Lucien did not hear Molly. He waved in the general direction of the back seat as the car pulled away again. The dark windows masking the shock and confusion on the older Tealeaf’s face.

He grabbed for the back of Avantika’s seat,

“Where’re you takin’ me?”

“It’s probably a little late for that question.” An arm rested around Mollymauk’s shoulders.

Molly was weak. Weaker in that moment than he had been in a long time. Crashing and withdrawing, beaten within an inch of his life. 

Uk’otoa pulled Mollymauk in, pinning him against a sturdy bicep.

“I wanna go home.”

“Not now.”  
Fingers pinched at Molly’s nose. He coughed, but could no longer move, clamped tight against Uk’otoa. Another hand came out of the darkness, plastering across Molly’s mouth. 

Choking.

Choking on no air.

No air.

Mollymauk could not breathe.

Through the fog racing into his mind, Molly thought how well-practiced Uk’otoa was at this. He wondered vaguely if the man did it often.

“What did you tell Lucien?” Avantika’s voice swam around the car. Molly tried to catch it, but his lungs burned in his chest.

“That it was all a bit much and Mollymauk asked to stay with a friend. By the sounds of it, the only friend he’s got is his dealer judging by the look Lucien gave me.”

“Sounds about right.”

“Fnnhhgggg!! Mfragghh!”

The last moments of life Mollymauk had were fighting, flailing, desperately kicking out at the hands clamped firmly over his face, fighting to take a gasp of breath back into his body.

Then he was falling again.

Down.

Down..

Down...

...

Mollymauk woke up on something flat but soft. He screwed his eyes shut against a fresh wash of hurt slowly buzzing through him. Everything hurt. Every part of him wanted to die. 

“Whaathh...?”

He tried to get up but his hands were fastened tight behind his back.

“Luc?! Yash?!” He rolled over and blinked red eyes open.

“Thhhee.... Fuck is this?!” He groaned, seeing the face of a man he recognised sitting on the other side of a small room in the dim light.

The room swayed, and Molly swallowed back bile.  
Then again the floor rocked. Motion after motion, rhythmic, unending. They were in the bowels of a ship at sea.  
Molly’s first guess was Avantika. The Squall Eater. That’s where he must be. But it didn’t look like any of the rooms he’d seen on his break-in.

There were no windows down there. The room was all bare walls except for two doors. One up a short flight of steps, and one half-open leading to what looked like a bathroom. There was a round pane of glass in the centre of the floor, but whatever was beneath it was too dark for Molly to make out just yet.

“A room.” Uk’otoa answered Molly bluntly. The man set down the book he had been reading, and stood up. “Or did you mean the zipties?”

Molly tugged and heaved at the thick plastic taught at his wrists, but it gave no quarter. 

“Fuckin’ right the zipties!!” He spat through gritted teeth. “The fuck is this?” He demanded. “Where are we?! Where’s my brother?!”

Panic and rage smashed into each other.

“If you hurt him, I’ll KILL YOU motherfuckin’ fuck!”  
Kicking and struggling did nothing, Molly remained on his side.

Uk’otoa stood where he was, slowly crossing his arms as he watched Molly, with an eyebrow raised.  
Then he bent to pick something up out of the shadows. A large grey bucket. The man crossed the room in three slow strides, setting it down next to the pile of blankets Molly was sprawled out on. 

A gruff sigh as Uk’otoa knelt down.

“If I hurt your brother.” He growled low. “There’s nothing you could do about it high off your ass.”  
A hand, too hot, much too hot against Mollymauk’s shivering skin, reached out and pressed his chin up so that crimson shot eyes met steady gold.  
“But we’re going to fix that.”

Molly snarled.  
“I can do a lotta things high off my ass. More’an folks give me credit for.” He glared up at Uk’otoa as his face was tipped upwards. Then more of the mans words penetrated his brain. “Fix..? Fix what?”

“Oh I know exactly what you’re capable of.” The words hissed through the dark room, snapping through Molly’s ears. “You HIGH caused me a great deal of unnecessary fucking trouble, Mollymauk Tealeaf.” 

The amount of strength behind the mans hold on Molly’s chin was far more than he needed. But some form of pleasure seemed to be drawn from it, as Uk’otoa continued to lift until Mol felt his elbows scrape the blankets.

“This is the start of a very long week for you, sweet Molly. I hope you like bottled water and saltine crackers.”

*Sweet Molly...* Gods, Uk’otoa sounded so much like Lorenzo it made Molly shake. 

“The FUCK did I do to you?!” He yelled, trying to cover the bolt of fear sweeping him up.

Uk’otoa seized the front of the hoodie, drawing Molly up to meet him nose to nose. (It was only then, in that moment, that Molly slowly began to register that he was no longer in his own clothes.)

“What did you do?!” The man roared. “You managed to sabotage my fucking operation!”  
The rage boiling behind those honey eyes swelled and dipped as Molly fell backwards, dropped down onto the blankets.  
“You’re already in pain. There’s nothing worse I could do to you than that. Except...”  
A flash of fire rippled through gold. “Except MAKE you FEEL it like the rest of us.” 

“Wh..?”

“You are getting clean, ‘Bloodhunter.’ Whether you like it or not. Do something about it.”

Clean? Clean? Fuck no, that couldn’t mean what Molly thought. Could it? No. No fucking way.

But then something else crept in.

“Your operation? Wha..? You worked with Lorenzo?! Fuck that bastard! You worked with that sicko?! I dated that fuck! He kept me fuckin’ prisoner! He r- He ra- he...”

But Molly couldn’t say it. Not out loud. Not to anyone. Not even himself. It disgusted him how much he had let that man do.

“No fuckin’ way am I sorry for killin’ that FUCK! He can rot in HELL!!”  
Molly felt a slither of pride as he glowered up at Uk’otoa, because the man actually flinched. Visibly, clearly flinched with an expression of disgust.

“Uhg. I am not sure why hearing that from the source makes your taste in men so much more nauseating.” 

“Good thing you ain’t my type then.”

“I assure you, I would stick my dick in an electrical socket before I put it anywhere near you.”  
Fingers pressed against thick lips as the man eyed Molly. “None of that sounds like my problem. What IS my problem, is my murdered mover.” He toed the bucket closer to Molly. 

“The fuck are you DOIN’ to me?” Molly felt a trickle of real panic.

Uk’otoa seemed to relish that.  
“You might want to calm down. The first step is puking your guts out.”

“Why?! Why you doin this?!”  
The horror of what this man was planning began to sink in. Molly was shaking worse than ever. How many days had it been now? Too many.  
“The fuck does it matter to you?”

It was coming. He could feel it. His empty veins were throbbing, crying out. Molly was crying with them. They screamed out for more. He needed it. He wanted it. His head was a whirl, his ears ringing. 

Thump thump, thump, thmp thumpthumpthumpthumppppppp

Heartbeat racing. Stomach turning over and over and over. 

Knots in his guts.

Molly would be chucking up soon. It was starting.  
He felt a lurch and pitched forwards, gagging. But choked it back, and rocked up on one elbow to face his captor.

But for the first time, Uk’otoa was not looking back at him. He had turned to root around in a bag on the far side of the room.  
Molly pushed and heaved, kicking his knees out and finally, finally was able to stand.  
Although he was shaking from his chattering teeth to the tips of his fingers, still he stood.

Then, Molly charged.  
He knocked straight into Uk’otoa sending them both flying. 

“The fuck?!” Hands grabbed for Molly.

Uk’otoa was much stronger than Molly had given him credit for, soon the smaller man found himself flung aside, shunted by a broad chest. 

A knocking came from the door up the stairs.

“Uh, boss? You have a phone call.”  
It wasn’t Avantika, as Mol had expected. This was another woman. But right at that moment Molly didn’t care.

“I’m fucking BUSY!” The strangled shout came from off to Molly’s left as a shoulder pinned him firmly against the wall. 

“Let me OUT!” Mol screamed, batting at the mans chest with his forehead, hands flailing helplessly behind him. But he stopped when he was flipped over onto the floor again, landing with a jarring thunk to the stomach.

*Oh gods.*

*Oh gods, I’m gonna hurl...*

Molly scrambled to his feet and staggered towards the bathroom, forgetting where on earth the bucket might be, and wanting as much distance as possible between himself and Uk’otoa.  
He tripped down over the toilet and retched until he was violently sick.

As he knelt, swaying, Mol caught his cheek on the cold porcelain. 

Cold.

Cold was good.  
He coughed into the toilet bowl, laying on it like a pillow, taking slow shallow breaths.

This hurt.

He couldn’t do this.

His eyes were playing tricks on him in the lights. Every damn time. Every damn time.  
Lucien stood somewhere ahead of him, out of reach. The floor speckled with pearls of deep red.

Molly groaned.  
Cold. Cold was good. Kept him grounded. Kept him there. In the present. He could feel himself burning up. Hotter than hell fire. Sweat soaking through the hoodie, down his back, through the track pants.

Wait.

*Why am I dressed like a fucking chav?* Molly tried to ask, but the thought was stuck in his mind.  
Half dazed, he felt calloused fingers brushing across his forehead. Molly jumped, but the fingers merely pulled his hair back and scraped a band softly through the violet curls, taking it all into a ponytail off his face. 

Molly could burst into tears. But he held on. He did not want to break down in front of this man.

“Wha.. wha’d... you want from me?” He whispered.

Uk’otoa leaned over Molly to hit the flush. 

“For you to sit here and be sick, until you’re not sick anymore.”  
It was a simple answer. But it still filled Mollymauk with dread.

“Why?” He breathed. “Why’s is matter to you? Jus’ lemmie be, lemmie do whatever. Is nothin’ to you. Or is watchin’ folks throw up the way you always deal with ‘em when they kill your movers?”  
Molly choked and chucked up again. His muscles were aching. Every stitch, bruise and healing wound was burning his insides. But his skin felt cold. His organs were on fire beneath a layer of ice. 

“Fhhhuuckk...” 

He hated this.

He did not want this.

Every bad though was rising to the surface to taunt him. Every mistake, every hurt, every mess he’d made.

“Lemmie go...”

“I’m not one for traditional punishment.” There was a laugh hidden somewhere behind those words. “And if you get any more big players killed, without my help someone will find you. Which means they find Lucien.”

That hit Molly like a house dropping on him, even through the haze rippling through his body.

“No. Not Luc. I’d do anythin’, always. Always anythin’ for him.”

“Is that so? Do you really mean that, or is this another tweaked out lie you like to tell yourself to make yourself feel better?”

Molly jerked up.

“The FUCK did you say to me?!” He had a dribble of spit on his chin and a spring of fresh tears threatened to burst from red stained eyes. “The FUCK you say to me?!”  
He didn’t care his hands were tied. He didn’t care that he could barely hold his head straight. He didn’t care that he was a shivering sweaty wreck. He didn’t care that he had no hope in hell of fighting this man. Mollymauk was angry. “Some TWEAKED OUT LIE?!” He repeated. “He’s my fuckin’ brother! My TWIN brother! My other half! I’d do anythin’ in the damn multiverse for him! Anythin’! It don’ make me feel better, is just TRUE!”

He was swaying as the ship rocked on the water. And from the withdrawal shakes. But Molly stared the other man down with a passionate glare.

“The quit feeling sorry for yourself and GET CLEAN!”  
The mans own shout seemed to have startled Uk’otoa. There was a second on his face as golden eyes widened, before settling back into a steady narrowed beam. 

“Because until you do, it IS a lie.”

The swish of a small blade.

A snap sounded. Molly felt his hands freed from the zipties and grasped immediately for the toilet rim.

Uk’otoa was on his feet.  
“Just another lying user, waiting to screw-over everyone he claims to love. Welcome to The Leviathan, Molly. You’re stuck here until you get clean.”

The bathroom door slammed shut, and Molly was left alone.

...


	12. Red and Dead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> .
> 
> “What’s happening, Molly?”
> 
> Soft.
> 
> Something soft under him. 
> 
> Molly heard Uk’otoa but didn’t register the question.
> 
> “He’s gone...”
> 
> Lucien’s shirt was black. Black like a scab forming around the crust. Bubbling boiling edges of the crater in his chest. There he lay at Mollys feet, pouring blood over the tangle of blankets, over Mollys skin, over Uk’otoas shoes.
> 
> “Who’s gone?” Uk’otoa couldn’t see. No one could really see.
> 
> Lucien Tealeaf was dead, and there was nothing Molly could ever do about it. Empty eyes glowed up at Molly from the floor, swamped in blood.
> 
> ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter references character death, and blood.
> 
> Nothing too graphic, but read with caution if any of that could be triggering for you. 
> 
> .
> 
> As Bloodhunter continues to get clean, he leans into his music more. So each chapter from now on will have an assigned song.
> 
> This Chapter's song is 'Brother' by Falling In Reverse.
> 
> .

Blood.  
Chapter 12, 'Red and Dead'  
SONG- ‘Brother’ by Falling In Reverse.

_Why is it always stormy weather?  
And, brother, tell me if it all gets better  
Why did you leave? Why did you die?  
You finally made your brother cry  
I know you're watching over us tonight  
And I hope you're watching over us tonight... ___

__

__***_ _

__Molly was running._ _

__The storm was exploding all around Nicodranas. Everything was soaked with tears._ _

__On he ran._ _

__Luc had called. Molly had picked up to rain and fading breathing._ _

__“LUC?!”_ _

__He never knew how he had found his twin so fast. Their phones always shared their locations with the other, but this side of the city was a maze. The dot pinged, but could be anywhere._ _

__There was no time._ _

__“LUC?!?”_ _

__Mollymauk was frightened. Everything was abandoned at Lorenzo’s flat. He didn’t care anymore._ _

__This was it, he was out. He was done. Gone and gone and gone. The bastard could keep his shit, Molly wanted nothing but his brother._ _

__“M... M....Mo...Mol....”_ _

__“Luc!”_ _

__The older Tealeaf twin splashed down the alley, lit only by the glow of Lucien’s cell phone. It shone feebly into the dark storm._ _

__“Oh fuck, fuck oh gods, oh gods. Luc, Luc I’m here, Luc!”_ _

__Molly cradled his twin in his arms, tugging off his jumper and thrusting it hard against the horrible massacre of Lucien’s chest._ _

__“What... what happened..?”_ _

__“Don’t know...” Lucien was so feint. Every breath dragged from blood-drenched lungs rattled his throat. “Was... head...ing... back... to ours... then... some guy... said my name... had a... I don’t... know... big... like a sword...”_ _

__“A sword?! Fuck fuck fuck...”_ _

__Molly pressed harder onto his twins chest. He tried not to look. Lucien was cracked in two. Cleaved in. Dug out in a slicing blow._ _

__Hot blood pumped across Mollys hands._ _

__“No, no no no. Luc, no. No you can’t die. You won’t!”_ _

__“Mol... I’m cold...”_ _

__“No, no you’re fine. You’re gonna be fine!”_ _

__

__***_ _

__

__“Molly.” A solid palm was patting his back._ _

__“Luc...”_ _

__“Come on, walk. Walk this way. I’ve got you.”_ _

__Blood._ _

__So much blood._ _

__Mol felt his mouth open to scream but nothing came out._ _

__“Luc...”_ _

__Molly was lost. Lost in a vision of swirling red, tainted with his brothers face. Paler than pale. Paler than Mollymauk, even. Drained and empty and gone. No light, no wicked grin. The last flicker dying in his arms._ _

__Empty._ _

__That was all he’d seen in Lucien’s eyes the next time they met months later. Nearly two years._ _

__Felt like decades._ _

__

__Felt like seconds._ _

__

__“Luc?”_ _

__No. Not this time._ _

__Not his Lucien._ _

__Not anymore._ _

__All gone._ _

__Empty eyes looked on him as a stranger._ _

__He’d ran and ran and ran and collided into nothingness._ _

__Mollymauk had never screamed so loud._ _

__He never knew pain like it._ _

__Lucien died twice to Molly.  
Once in his arms in a washed-out alley.  
Once in a hallway at the casino, stood right in front of him._ _

__Molly never knew pain like it._ _

__Stabbed, shot, hit by cars, knocked out... All Molly had taken over the years meant nothing. Nothing to that._ _

__

__Scars fade._ _

__True hurt imprints the soul._ _

__That was his lot now, Molly supposed._ _

__He imagined his own soul, what must it look like?_ _

__Scrawled all over with Lucien’s name. Etched into it like a knife in a school desk._ _

__“What’s happening, Molly?”_ _

__Soft._ _

__Something soft under him._ _

__Molly heard Uk’otoa but didn’t register the question._ _

__“He’s gone...”_ _

__Lucien’s shirt was black. Black like a scab forming around the crust. Bubbling boiling edges of the crater in his chest. There he lay at Mollys feet, pouring blood over the tangle of blankets, over Mollys skin, over Uk’otoas shoes._ _

__“Who’s gone?” Uk’otoa couldn’t see. No one could really see._ _

__Lucien Tealeaf was dead, and there was nothing Molly could ever do about it. Empty eyes glowed up at Molly from the floor, swamped in blood._ _

__“I lost... He’s forgot us...”_ _

__Lucien’s mouth filled with blood._ _

__Mollymauk screamed._ _

__

__*_ _

__

__The screaming stopped as suddenly as it began, when Molly doubled-up over the bucket and vomited hard._ _

__“Fnnhhhnnkk...”_ _

__He was so done with this feeling. So done with the churning hurt._ _

__His stomach was empty._ _

___*Like Luciens eyes.* ____ _

_____*He doesn’t know you* ____ _ _ _

_______*Anymore* ____ _ _ _ _ _

_________*He’s not yours* ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________*He doesn’t care* ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____________*He’s not Luc anymore* ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______________*Lucien is dead* ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________*Bet he wishes I was dead* ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________________*Bet I soon will be* ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Molly pushed the bucket away and caught up huge great gulps of air._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Uk’otoa had sat him down and moved away._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Molly blinked away the blood from his eyes, trying to watch the man walking._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Practiced hands pulled up a handle, opening the glass circle in the middle of the floor._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Molly sat forwards, intrigued._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________The great man stepped down into another space, flicking on a light.  
Molly shuffled closer, on his hands and knees. When he reached the edge, he saw down into a storage space. Perfectly round, with rings and rings of shelves. Bottled water, dry food, tins, there it all was. A few of the shelves were empty. It looked as though they had been cleaned out in a hurry. Dust still lay in lines where bottles must have sat originally. Molly wondered if Uk’otoa had moved a wine collection for fear of his prisoner getting hands on it. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________As the man reached the bottom step and began picking boxes off a shelf, the idea came to Molly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Gingerly, shivering fit to bust, he got to his feet and reached for the glass hatch._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________SLAM_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Molly took off, pelting towards the steps. One two three, then hammered on the door, dragging and clawing at the handle, which mercifully, beautifully, magically- Opened!_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“MOTHERFUCKER!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________The shout of rage followed Molly as he raced through the ship. Then-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“Lisa!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Shit. Molly had forgotten they weren’t alone._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________He careered around a corner, grabbing at the carpeted steps as he began to stumble up._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“Yeah, Boss? What’s th- OUCH WHAT THE HELL?!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Shit!_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________A slap caught Molly straight across the jaw as he collided with the woman who could only be Lisa, halfway up the stairs._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“No you don’t! Get back here!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Molly pushed past, registering vaguely tanned skin and a brunette bob of hair._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________He crashed through another door, along a corridor and up more steps._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Then- Daylight!_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“Yes!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Mol flew down the hallway towards it, flinging open more doors by accident as he snatched at their handles to steady himself._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________A body was lying on the floor._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Eyes unfocussed. Pooling blood, chest split open almost carved in two._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Molly tripped and skidded to a stop._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“No... no no no...”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Mol dropped like a stone and grabbed for his twins body._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________It vanished._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“LUC?!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________He saw only blood as he crawled towards the slither of daylight up on deck._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________*_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Uk’otoa caught him up a few moments later._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“You’re on the open ocean, Molly.” He warned._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Molly had managed to heave himself up onto the rail edging the deck._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________The day was cloudy and sullen. The water grey-tinged blue and foreboding. Land nowhere to be seen in any direction._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Uk’otoa approached slowly, as though Molly were a cornered wolf._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“Just don’t do anything stupid.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“Fuck you man! I’m out! I’m out, I’m goin’ the fuck home!” Molly shivered as a cold breeze lifted from the surf below._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________A shape twisted into existence standing behind the man baring down on him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Red stained eyes. Identical. Fixed on Mollymauk._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“I’ll find you.” Molly promised the shadow, then he jumped._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“Oh you dumb sonofobitch...”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Uk’otoa grabbed at Molly’s hoodie as he leapt from the railing. The tug sent the smaller man swerving sideways, which unfortunately dragged Uk’otoa further over the side..._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________And..._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________“OH YOU DUMB SONOFABITCH!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________The water was warmer than Molly had been expecting, if indeed he had been thinking ahead enough to expect anything at all._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________He shivered violently as he crashed into the waves, hitting shoulder first and twisting about as he went under._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________The hand did not release his hoodie. Molly felt Uk’otoa land above him. The weight of the mans muscles sent him straight down after Mollymauk._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________The world was quiet down there._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Only the swishing of water running by the ears, and distant muffled shouts from Lisa on the Leviathan._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Red._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Red lights in the grey dark._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________________Two red eyes._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____________________*Luc* ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________The scrawny twin dove deeper, reaching, tearing at the water._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________Red threatened to swallow him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________Swallow out the world._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________Blood and red and blood._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________Heavy hands seized Mollymauk around the middle._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________Molly thrashed about, attempting to get away from Uk’otoas grip._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________The stronger man held on like grim death. Molly blinked salty stinging out of his eyes and saw the mans face rearing closer. Determinedly, slowly, Uk’otoa shook his head.  
Molly was not getting away that easily._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________Golden eyes seemed to shine bright fluorescent yellow in the murky water. Uk’otoa dragged Molly upwards, kicking towards the surface._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________They broke it together, coughing and spluttering. Mollys head began to roll backwards._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________He stared unblinkingly at the clouds. So many shapes._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________The colours fractured amongst them. So pretty._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________*_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________Back on board, Uk’otoa seized Molly in a giant bear-hug grip and carried him downstairs again._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________Molly struggled hard, but Lucien was fading away from him and even as he wrenched one hand free, reaching for his twin over Uk’otoa’s shoulder the red eyes and lilac hair were gone._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________“Noooo! LUC!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________The panic was building again. Agitation flashed through his brain like wild fire. Skips in time merged with the present. Mollymauk did not know which was which anymore. Back and forward, forward and back. He saw a door coming and latched onto it, grabbing and clutching, desperate. The itching in his skin dug so deep through his veins. So deep it hurt. It hurt it hurt._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________“IT HURTS!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________Molly caught at the frame, but he was nowhere close to strong enough. Uk’otoa carried him as though he were nothing. Down again. Down into the depths of Hell._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________“What’s happening to Lucien?” The question was hot against Mollys ear._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________Somewhere near the door to the room in the bowels of the Leviathan, Lisa called,  
“All set!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________The lock scraped behind them as the grappling pair came down the last steps._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________“Molly. Mollymauk? What is happening to Lucien?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________They were sitting now. Sitting on the blankets with the bucket nestled beside him again. A towel was wrapped close around Molly’s shoulders, and a heavy grunt indicated that his captor had sat back down opposite._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________Gold peered closely at Molly, who sat shaking, rocking back and forth._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________“Bring him back...” Sobs tore through his aching veins. “Bring him back you Raven bitch. You promised... You promised...”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________The white mask hurtled towards him from the blackness._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________He owed her everything. Too late. Much too late._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________***_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	13. Before the Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ..
> 
> Uk’otoa had a strong heartbeat. Steady and slow. Like a waltz in the snow.
> 
> Molly counted the beats. One two three, one two three…
> 
> He relaxed into the steady rhythm.
> 
> Luc was washing away in his arms, but he could hear Uk’otoas breathing.
> 
> Luc was a stranger staring at him like he was a madman, but he could hear Uk’otoas breathing.
> 
> “Luc isn’t Luc anymore.” Molly mumbled into the blood-soaked darkness. 
> 
> Somehow, right there he was safer.
> 
> ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As Bloodhunter continues to get clean, he leans into his music more. So each chapter from now on will have an assigned song.
> 
> This chapters song is 'The Horror and the Wild' by The Amazing Devil

Chapter 13- Before the Fall  
Song- The Horror and the Wild by The Amazing Devil

_You are the son of every dressing up box  
And I am time itself  
I slow to let you play  
I steal the hours and turn the night into day  
Think of all the horrors that I  
Promised you I'd bring  
I promise you, they'll sing of every time  
You passed your fingers through my hair and called me child  
Witness me old man, I am The Wild ___

__

__…_ _

__

__“Mollymauk. Mollymauk!”_ _

__Mol came back to the present with a start._ _

__“Whaaat?” He grumbled, the roar of aches all through his limbs redoubled now he was more focused. “Whadda you want?”_ _

__Uk’otoa was sitting beside him on the pile of blankets._ _

__The door was shut._ _

__Locked._ _

__There was no escape._ _

__“Eventually? I’ve got Jenga, but I don’t think you’d be up to that just yet.” The man said, with no trace of irony._ _

__Honey gold eyes were raking Mollys face._ _

__Molly did not have the energy to conceal anything anymore._ _

__“You want a piece of gum?” Uk’otoa offered. He seemed lost in his own thoughts as he did so, but the small packet was produced from his pocket and Molly could still taste bile on his tongue._ _

__“Sure…”_ _

__Steady fingers placed the gum onto Mollys tongue. But those eyes were still searching his face._ _

__“What’s going on?” The great serpent of a man asked._ _

__The younger, thinner, paler man chewed the gum slowly. Tangs of fresh mint hit him like bullets and almost brought him lunging down over the bucket by their feet._ _

__But it passed._ _

__Empty eyes swam just in the corner of his vision._ _

__Molly shook his head, trying to clear it._ _

__Was Luc dead? Again?_ _

__Or did he just not see Mol?_ _

__Where he stood._ _

__Desperate and unknown._ _

__He heard the question but did not really understand._ _

__“He’s gone.” Mol whispered, staring into Lucien’s empty gaze. “He forgot us. I lost everything.”_ _

__“Who is gone?”_ _

__But of course Uk’otoa did not understand._ _

__How could anyone understand?_ _

__They had not seen._ _

__They still didn’t see._ _

__He should be glad._ _

__He tried to be._ _

__Even if it was just the shell, he still had his brother back._ _

__And they had been getting better, so so much better recently. Lucien even tried their secret language. He’d been better._ _

__Molly had been better._ _

__They had been brothers again._ _

__But_ _

__It was all a lie, wasn’t it?_ _

__It wasn’t really Lucien._ _

__Lucien was gone._ _

__Mollymauk was on his own._ _

__Pretending._ _

__Someone touched his face and Molly flinched away._ _

__His heart was racing it would not keep still. He felt his throat tighten and hitch his breath into uneven gasps._ _

__An arm was around his shoulders. Guiding him. Laying him deftly against Uk’otoa. The man was wrapped in a towel. It scrunched at Mollys nose. Then more warm weight came. Another towel tucked in around Molly and he closed his eyes, burying his face into the mans chest._ _

__“What are you seeing, Molly?”_ _

__Uk’otoa had a strong heartbeat. Steady and slow. Like a waltz in the snow._ _

__Molly counted the beats. One two three, one two three…_ _

__He relaxed into the steady rhythm._ _

__Luc was washing away in his arms, but he could hear Uk’otoas breathing._ _

__Luc was a stranger staring at him like he was a madman, but he could hear Uk’otoas breathing._ _

__“Luc isn’t Luc anymore.” Molly mumbled into the blood-soaked darkness._ _

__Somehow, right there he was safer._ _

__But he didn’t know why._ _

__Through the gloom, a voice came._ _

__“You’re okay.”_ _

__…With that shimmering thought flickering in his mind, Molly fell out of consciousness._ _

__

__***_ _

__

__Mollymauk slept fitfully. Literally. Twice he’d woken up from some deep blackness filled with crimson rain, jolting half awake with sore limbs and a tightening in his stomach._ _

__“Ow…” He whined, as he rolled over, all a tangle in blankets and towels._ _

__*Oh fuck. Fuck everything hurts*_ _

__Everything hurt now._ _

__This was too much._ _

__Much too much._ _

__He swallowed hard._ _

__He hurt._ _

__He would burst open from the pain soon._ _

__“Imma throw up…”_ _

__His first coherent thought of the new day._ _

__Molly struggled onto his knees and looked around for the bathroom door through blurred spinning vision._ _

__He swayed._ _

__The ship rocked._ _

__Mollys stomach pitched and he turned paler._ _

__“Not on me you’re not!” Uk’otoa was awake in an instant, thrusting the bucket under Mollys nose and heaving himself around to rub circles into the mans back._ _

__Molly promptly threw up._ _

__“Fhhuucckk…”_ _

__He wanted out. “How much longer you gonna keep me here?”_ _

__Uk’otoas hand stilled in its gentle touch at Mollys back._ _

__“You’ve got at least 6 days left. And it is not about to get any easier.”_ _

__“How d’you know so much about getting’ folks clean?” Molly moaned, clutching the bucket tight to his chest._ _

__“Because I’ve done this before.”_ _

__“Who-”_ _

__But before Molly could ask, Lisa’s voice called down sharply from just outside the door._ _

__“Boss, we’ve got company!”_ _

__The hand at Mollys back shoved him aside as Uk’otoa rose to his feet._ _

__“Stay quiet.”_ _

__And in one flurry of movement the man was gone._ _

__The lock clicked behind him._ _

__

__*_ _

__The ship swayed. The waves crashed._ _

__The room in the depths rose and fell._ _

__Mollymauk held onto the bucket._ _

__It was a buoy keeping him afloat._ _

__

__Slowly, he heard the chug of another engine. Another boat was approaching._ _

__The idea of a rescue did not have time to cross his mind though._ _

__Red eyes were wholly distracted by the pool of blood opening up the middle of the floor._ _

__

__*_ _

__“Mol?”_ _

__‘Bloodhunter’ was curled in a ball._ _

__“Mol?”_ _

__He couldn’t move._ _

__

__“Mol?”_ _

__He still couldn’t catch his breath. Trickles of uncertainty were robbing his lungs._ _

__He was too hot._ _

__But his stupid body was shivering._ _

__It was like the talking between his mind and the rest of his had glitched out._ _

__He heard the voice._ _

__…He heard the voice._ _

__Molly rolled his head to look for his twin._ _

__His nose was running. His eyes kept crying. He couldn’t stop them._ _

__“Luc..?”_ _

__Blood stained the floor._ _

__Lucien was walking through it._ _

__It clung to him._ _

__“Mol? Yeah, it’s Luc.”_ _

__He had that look._ _

__As Lucien drew closer, rippling in his own blood._ _

__*He doesn’t recognize me…*_ _

__And never would again._ _

__*Not a twin no more.*_ _

__He could never leave Luc._ _

__But they would never be the same again._ _

__Like a pane of glass forever between them._ _

__His lungs finally contracted as Lucien knelt down beside him, and Molly grabbed his first full breath in hours._ _

__Was this why?_ _

__Was this why it all hurt?_ _

__He got his brother killed. Now he must pay._ _

__It wasn’t just needing the drugs._ _

__It was his punishment._ _

__“Molly. Hey, hey I’m here.”_ _

__Hands hovered over his shoulders. Lucien seemed unsure what his touch might do._ _

__“It’s Luc. I’m here. I’m here.”_ _

__Molly saw Lucien through smoke and noise._ _

__Somewhere he could hear the carnival starting up._ _

__Gustav was shouting their names._ _

__Mol was holding a trapeze. Luc hung in the air._ _

__The crowd was cheering in a language Molly didn’t understand._ _

__He reached for his twin in a bright red sea of sequins and Luc looked up through blank white empty eyes._ _

__Molly reached again, lunging for him, but Lucien fell into nothingness._ _

__His fingers hit a knee._ _

__“Luc?”_ _

__“Mol, I’m right here.”_ _

__Warm fingers laced between his._ _

__Molly held on tight._ _

__“Used to be in a circus.” He whispered. “I’m sorry… msorry… mso so sorry…”_ _

__Panic was crashing all around like an orchestra._ _

__Bleeding_ _

__Dying_ _

__Running._ _

__

__“We were, Mol. We were the best duo.”_ _

__Lucien sounded real. But how could he be?_ _

__“Please, Mol. I need you to look at me.”_ _

__Red stained eyes blinked in and out of focus as Molly tilted his head to look up at the man who had once been Lucien._ _

__Twin stained eyes were dripping, leaking blood._ _

__Mollys mouth opened but nothing came out._ _

__“Talk to me, Mol.” Lucien was soothing his silent screams. “Tell me more about the circus.”_ _

__…Circus…_ _

__…Circus…_ _

__Clown smiles and jugglers filled the air._ _

__“We were flying. Luc, we could fly…”_ _

__Mollymauk shivered and rolled onto his back. His shoulders shook so much they kept bouncing off the floor._ _

__One cheek was dribbled with sweat._ _

__He burned._ _

__“We could fly.”_ _

__He smiled deeply, searching for recognition in his twins face._ _

__“Catching and falling and flying.”_ _

__A small smile spread across his twins face._ _

__Warm but cool hands held his own and stroked his face._ _

__“We did. And we wore costumes of glitter. We’ll go back one day, won’t we.”_ _

__

__A moment of calm struck Molly._ _

__His heart was on pause, checking in with his brain on what to do._ _

__The attack of terror was fading, just aftershock left._ _

__His pulse vanished for a second or two._ _

__“But… but we’re here.”_ _

__Best show of their lives._ _

__Molly could see Lucien waving to the crowd. He held onto his twin, swinging them both around and around the big top._ _

__The silks were shimmering glistening silver and gold._ _

__They were the sun._ _

__Luc was the sun._ _

__Mol was the wind, blowing the clouds away, keeping the skies blue._ _

__

__“We are… We are.” Lucien cooed._ _

__Comforting warmth moved to Mollys hair, stroking, pulling through tangled curls as gently as could be._ _

__In a blaze of coloured lights, Molly spun faster and faster. He felt Luc’s hand in his hair as they hung upside down. Telling him he was there. He was safe._ _

__

__His heart thudded suddenly fast and Mol sat up at once._ _

__“Imma throw up.”_ _

__“HE HAS A BUCKET!” Uk’otoas voice rang out from the open door, and as the veil of glitter and lights dulled, Molly saw another face stood in the doorway._ _

__Tall. Dark hair. Pretty eyes._ _

__*Yash?*_ _

__The hands were gone but the bucket was passed to him and Molly felt his stomach contract, sending spasms bolting through his bones. He sat cross-legged, hugging it._ _

__Then_ _

__The warm fingers were back, tracing lines through his hair, holding his shoulders._ _

__Lucien was wrapped around Molly from behind._ _

__He was not letting go._ _

__“I’m right here.”_ _

__The sound of that secret language the twins had created as children flooded into Mollys mind._ _

__Luc was speaking it._ _

__Luc was here._ _

__Luc was okay!_ _

__

__Mol finished coughing over the bucket and leaned back into his brother. His head lolled back against Luciens shoulder and he wiped his mouth on the sleeve of the grey hoodie._ _

__He was so warm._ _

__Luc was warm too, but softer._ _

__Solid._ _

__Real._ _

__“You’re really here..?” Mol asked._ _

__“Yeah, I’m really here.” Lucien rested his head against Mollys, pressing a kiss to a sweat-soaked forehead._ _

__“He get you too?” Mol asked faintly._ _

__“No. I came to find you, Mol.”_ _

__Molly trusted his brother unquestioningly, but he was afraid._ _

__“Gotta go, Luc…” He mumbled. “I wanna go home. Please, Luc? I wanna go away.”_ _

__“I know. I’m working on that.”_ _

__*Why? Why can’t we go right now?*_ _

__“But… I need you to get better, Mol.”_ _

__Molly pushed himself upright again._ _

__“Better than this?”_ _

__His head pounded._ _

__“Sure as shit I wanna get better, look at me!”_ _

__Molly unzipped the hoodie but there was nothing underneath._ _

__*The fuck are my clothes?!*_ _

__“Fuck!”_ _

__“Let’s get you home.”_ _

__Molly went with his twin willingly._ _

__Together they stood up and made their way up the steps into the light of the upper decks._ _

__Yasha pulled Molly into her side and held him firmly, helping him move, keeping him centered._ _

__

__As they reached the main deck, Lisa came into view. She stood with her arms folded, glowering at Molly._ _

__Uk’otoa was waiting by the gangplank, set between the Leviathan and the second ship which Molly realized he also recognized.._ _

__The Squall Eater._ _

__That meant only one thing._ _

__Sure enough, there she stood. A burst of auburn hair and an expression which plainly said ‘Ha!’ Avantika was mid-conversation with Uk’otoa as the trio approached._ _

__She smiled to Lucien, then Uk’otoa, then stepped back over onto her own ship._ _

__“Fuck I need a cigarette.” Molly grunted._ _

__Yasha squeezed him._ _

__“You look a state, there’s probably a lot you need. A hot bath for one. And some f-”_ _

__“Fuck that.” Mol frowned, as they drew level with the hulking man who had kidnapped him._ _

__“Need a pack of fags, a phone, my fuckin’ clothes! Gotta call Cree, gotta get… gotta get…”_ _

__He trailed off as he gulped at the fresh open air. He still wasn’t quite back with the world yet._ _

__Lucien had moved away. He stood, hand outstretched towards Uk’otoa._ _

__“Thank You.”_ _

__The two men shook hands._ _

__Molly shoved away from Yasha and stomped onto the Squall eater._ _

__“You got any fuckin’ cigarettes?” He demanded of Avantika._ _

__“Nope.”_ _

__He might have imagined it, but he could have sworn she wore a look of gleeful enjoyment._ _

__“Fucks SAKE!”_ _

__“Molly, cigarettes are not what you need right now.” Yasha had come aboard too._ _

__“No, what I really need is a bloody motherfuckin’ hit.” Molly snapped._ _

__He didn’t mean to. Not really. Not at Yasha._ _

__But she was there, and his insides hurt._ _

__The woman said nothing more, and Molly looked over towards his brother, still stood with Uk’otoa._ _

__He caught snippets of what they were saying._ _

__“I am not sorry for trying. I had hoped it might shock some sense into his system.”_ _

__“We were terrified. He vanished again and-”_ _

__“And not a day later you were knocking at my door. Come, Lucien, you know if I wanted to make someone disappear I can. I would never have been so obvious.”_ _

__“I know this.”_ _

__“I tried. He didn’t want to, and now you found him so you can take him back. I wash my hands of the idiot. But if he so much as breathes near one of my runners-”_ _

__“He won’t. Nothing will be tampered with, I assure you. I will make sure our business is kept safe.”_ _

__Uk’otoa looked over to where Mollymauk stood.  
“Just, get him out of my sight.”_ _

__“Ohhh so NOW you want rid of me?!” Molly yelled across the water._ _

__“FUCK YOU MOLLY, I TRIED!” Came the response._ _

__Lucien reigned their conversation back,  
“Look, Thank You for trying.”_ _

__

__Molly didn’t listen to any more._ _

__“Fuck you ALL!” He stormed away to the other end of the Squall Eater, glowering out over the waves._ _

__He wanted to go home._ _

__He wanted to snog Cree._ _

__He wanted to shoot up and never feel this lousy ever again._ _

__He hurt. He hurt everywhere, and Lucien had THANKED the man who did it._ _

__THANKED HIM!_ _

__Mollymauk did not speak to his brother all the way back to Nicodranas._ _

__***_ _


	14. Molly for Molly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It bit.  
> It bit harder than before.
> 
> Molly howled into Cree’s palm as she held his arm still.
> 
> “The fuck happened to you, babes? You’ve gone to shit.”
> 
> “Just… Just… Just get me high.”
> 
> ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is basically all Bloodhunter (Molly) getting high,
> 
> No real descriptions etc, but there are references to drugs, booze and sex so y'know, read at your own peril etc.
> 
> ...

Chapter 14: Molly for Molly

Song- 'Died in Your Arms Tonight' by Cutting Crew

_It was a long hot night  
She made it easy, she made it feel right  
But now it's over, the moment has gone  
I followed my hands not my head, I know I was wrong  
Oh I, I just died in your arms tonight  
It must've been something you said  
I just died in your arms tonight  
It must've been some kind of kiss  
I should've walked away  
I should've walked away ___

__

__…_ _

__

__*”We’re gonna light this room on fire,”*  
*”You and I will burn it up tonight,”*  
*”The two of us are gonna fuel this fire,”*  
*”No way in hell we’re slowing down tonight!”*_ _

__Mollymauks bare feet were sticky on the dance floor.  
His eyes half closed, drinking in the colours surrounding him._ _

__This was living._ _

__He was sure he must be feeling alive again._ _

__No hurt._ _

__No remembering._ _

__No blood._ _

__Molly swayed, buffeted this way and that as others moved around him._ _

__He’d stay here._ _

__He wouldn’t ever go back._ _

__A plastic cup was pressed into his hand._ _

__Cree looked like a dream._ _

__Maybe he was dreaming._ _

__He gulped gratefully at the liquid, letting the sparks slam into his throat and sizzle all the way down._ _

__“Baby, I found a guy. Says he’s got the good shit out back.”_ _

__Molly downed his drink and dropped the cup.  
“Let’s fuckin’ go!”_ _

__

__.._ _

__It bit.  
It bit harder than before._ _

__Molly howled into Cree’s palm as she held his arm still._ _

__“The fuck happened to you, babes? You’ve gone to shit.”_ _

__“Just… Just… Just get me high.”_ _

__

__.._ _

__They pushed back into the overcrowded basement, through the mass of sweat-soaked bodies pulsing to the rhythm from giant speakers._ _

__Everything was louder now._ _

__As another song blasted the air, Molly found his fingers tapping along with the bassline._ _

__He missed his bass._ _

__How long had it been since the last band practice?_ _

__How long had he been buried in that boat?_ _

__A couple days, right?_ _

__He never thought to ask._ _

__He hadn’t said one word to Lucien after he thanked Uk’otoa for fucking kidnapping him._ _

__AND taking his phone._ _

__AND taking his clothes._ _

__AND not giving them back._ _

__Molly was currently clad in an assortment of Cree’s things. A long patchwork skirt and a denim tank top._ _

__He’d filled his wrists with dropped and discarded jewelry they had stumbled upon as the pair headed to the rave._ _

__He felt better._ _

__He did._ _

__He swore he did._ _

__The grey hoodie was tied around his waist._ _

__The trackpants had gone straight into a dumpster, but…_ _

__Molly couldn’t quite bring himself to part with the hoodie._ _

__It was the most comfortable thing he’d ever worn._ _

__Plus now it was covered in body glitter, booze and burns._ _

__He felt better._ _

__He did._ _

__He swore he did._ _

__He swore it as he stumbled on the spot, whole body wrapped in the music._ _

__He swore it as he watched dark dreadlocks sway over collarbones._ _

__._ _

__Cree was beautiful._ _

__So fucking beautiful._ _

__He wanted to plant flowers in her dreads._ _

__“Babe!” He reached for her, missing as the familiar daze coursed through his clammering veins._ _

__“Dance with me!” He called to her dark eyes._ _

__She came to him and soon they were entangled in each other._ _

__

__*”She said kiss me  
It'll heal  
But it won't forget  
Kiss me  
It'll heal  
But it won't forget,”*_ _

__

__Inked hands clutched at sun-kissed cheeks.  
Mol pulled in closer, breathing hot and heavy.  
He needed this.  
Needed her.  
Cree tasted of absinthe and tobacco._ _

__

__*”You should close your eyes  
That blue is getting me high  
And making me low  
That blue is getting me high  
And making me low,”*_ _

__Cree was so gold it hurt his eyes._ _

__She shone like a disco ball. She was brighter than anything in the world._ _

__“Love you.”_ _

__“Love you too.”_ _

__.._ _

__This was real love, right?_ _

__It had to be._ _

__Nothing else made him light up inside.  
Nothing except playing his bass for a crowd. Or being back in the circus._ _

__Cree made him matter._ _

__Cree got him higher than the fucking moon._ _

__Mollymauk knew this must be love._ _

__It must be._ _

__…_ _

__

__The music didn’t stop until sunlight began to filter through boarded up windows._ _

__“Nooo!”_ _

__The party couldn’t end. Not now._ _

__Molly almost felt himself again._ _

__Something wasn’t right but he took another pill and ignored it even as it hammered on his skull._ _

__“C’mon. Let’s go to my room.”_ _

__“Yours? Why not mine, babe? Won’t Lucien be pissed?”_ _

__“Yeah. Exactly.”_ _

__“He pissed you off again?”_ _

__“Don’t fuckin’ talk to me about him.”_ _

__“Alright babe, let’s go then.”_ _

__

__*_ _

__The casino was quiet in the early morning light._ _

__Molly pulled Cree through the doors, and across the main floor.  
Stopping only to grab a bottle from behind the bar, he punched in the code to get upstairs and they fell into an elevator. _ _

__“Fancy ass place you got, baby.”_ _

__“Mhmm…” Mollys tongue was in her mouth._ _

__He wanted her.  
Badder than he ever wanted anything before._ _

__“It really hit you tonight, didn’t it?”_ _

__“Uhuh.”_ _

__“You not used all this time or something?”_ _

__“Nope.”_ _

__“Shit babes, why not?”_ _

__“They tried to make me quit.”  
Cree drew Molly to her again at that, pressing him up into the glass of the elevator walls.  
“You wanted to?”_ _

__“No!”_ _

__He needed her. He needed the high. He needed to forget._ _

__“No.”  
Molly kissed her. _ _

__He kept on kissing her until, with a *ding*,* the elevator deposited them on his floor._ _

__

__._ _

__Room 26 was the same as ever._ _

__Chaotic and messy._ _

__Thin strips of light pierced through the many stickers and posters Molly had stuck over the window, giving the space an odd glow. Like being inside a kaleidoscope._ _

__“Music.” He mumbled, staggering over to his stereo, chucking in the closest CD and slamming a finger onto the Play button._ _

__His favourite mix tape started blasting._ _

__*”Fire in the disco!  
Fire in the Taco Bell!  
Fire in the disco!  
Fire in the gates of hell!  
Don't you wanna know how we keep startin' fires,  
It's my desire…”*_ _

__

__Molly tore the lid off and lapped up whatever it was he had stolen from the bar.  
The booze was clear, leaving an aftertaste that reminded him of cherry bakewells, but in his current state he couldn’t recognize what it was._ _

__He neither knew or cared in that moment._ _

__“C’mere.”_ _

__As they sank onto his bed, Mol poured a glug into Cree’s mouth._ _

__She giggled loudly, and Molly laughed too._ _

__*I’m happy.*_ _

__*I AM.*_ _

__*I am.*_ _

__Cree was sliding her own clothes off of Molly, nails digging into his skin as the skirt was tugged away._ _

__He was laughing again, growling, gasping for breath as they descended deeper down their own rabbit hole._ _

__

__*_ _

__

__He was flying._ _

__Flying._ _

__He’d flown before._ _

__He could fly with Cree._ _

__Not high enough._ _

__Need another._ _

__Need another._ _

__“Need another…”_ _

__“Open wide baby.”_ _

__Pills on his tongue._ _

__Fire._ _

__On fire again._ _

__How could anyone want him to leave this?_ _

__He wanted to fly._ _

__He could fly._ _

__Fuck Cree felt good._ _

__“Fhhuuuckkk!”_ _

__“Louder, baby!”_ _

__“FHHUUCKK!”_ _

__“Fuck the whole fucking place up!”_ _

__

__What else could be such bliss?_ _

__Every colour was smashing around him._ _

__Every sense was tearing into shreds._ _

__Molly was breaking apart._ _

__“FUCK, BABE IMMA- IMMA-“_ _

__

__“MOLLY WHAT THE FUCK?!”_ _

__“FUCK LUC FUCK OFF!”_ _

__“I will not. What the fuck are you doing? It’s 6 in the fucking morning!”_ _

__Mollymauk let go of Cree, and sat back on his knees._ _

__“The fuck does it look like I’m doin?”_ _

__“Shitty porn.”_ _

__“Fuck you. Hey!”_ _

__Lucien had unplugged the stereo at the wall._ _

__The room fell quiet._ _

__“Molly. How high are you right now?”_ _

__The older Tealeaf brother blinked lazily at his twin.  
“Been higher.”_ _

__“What did you take?”_ _

__“Everythin.”_ _

__“Molly, what did you fucking take?”_ _

__“The usual.”_ _

__“Dope?”_ _

__“Yuh.”  
“What else?”_ _

__Mol ran his tongue across his teeth and snorted._ _

__“Molly for a Molly.”_ _

__“Right. And then you decided to come back here and wake up two floors of my customers?”_ _

__“Can’t hold the party down, brother.”_ _

__“Don’t call me that right now, Mol.”_ _

__“What?”_ _

__“Just, don’t. Right now I don’t even want to look at you.”_ _

__“The fuck?”_ _

__“I want you out.”_ _

__“What?”_ _

__“Out. Now. Get out.”_ _

__“But, Luc-”_ _

__“No. Get out of my home. Now. Take your dealer girlfriend and get out.”_ _

__“Luc…”_ _

__“No. I’m ‘Peacock,’ to you right now. You’re not my goddamn brother while you’re like this.”_ _

__Lucien stepped back out of the doorway._ _

__“You’ve got five minutes. Take your shit, take your doped-up ass and get the fuck out.”_ _

__Molly sat on the end of his bed and stared at Lucien._ _

__He couldn’t feel the blissful euphoria anymore.  
Everything was slipping away._ _

__He wanted to beg for another chance._ _

__He wanted to run and hug Lucien._ _

__But then Molly thought of Luc thanking Uk’otoa, and most of his desire to makeup dwindled._ _

__He grabbed a handful of clothes, his bass and lead Cree into the corridor._ _

__“Fuck you.” Molly snarled as he passed his twin._ _

__Lucien said nothing._ _

__He just watched the pair until they reached the stairwell._ _

__Cree turned towards the elevator doors, but Molly dragged her through the double doors to the staircase._ _

__He couldn’t stomach the idea of a tiny enclosed box._ _

__Suddenly the idea of being in that lift felt like digging his own grave._ _

__So, down they walked._ _

__Down, down and down._ _

__Then out into a new day dawning over Nicodranas._ _

__

__***_ _

__

__“Fuck… Fuck… Fuck…”  
Molly tugged the hoodie closer around him as he took another two steps up the driveway._ _

__Then turned on the spot and took another 5 steps back again._ _

__He was exhausted, he was hungry._ _

__But he couldn’t think of what to say._ _

__His feet carried him a little closer to the long dark building._ _

__*Maybe I should’ve just gone with Cree.*_ _

__Molly turned again and began walking back towards the road._ _

__But no._ _

__He stopped._ _

__Molly didn’t want to go with Cree._ _

__Once his delirium had worn off, so had his desperate longing to be wrapped up in her._ _

__She felt much the same way, it seemed._ _

__They had parted ways at the first set of traffic lights, with a brief kiss and that was it._ _

__She had friends and a squat to return to._ _

__Molly had nothing._ _

__Nothing, except…_ _

__He turned once more and marched all the way up to the front steps, past the familiar feathered sign._ _

__‘Raven Funeral Directors.’_ _

__Well, really. Where else was he going to go?_ _

__***_ _


	15. Please?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> .
> 
> *What’s wrong with me?*
> 
> The question was seared through his mind. A great haunting mass unwavering, driving his desperation.
> 
> The music didn’t do it.
> 
> The high didn’t do it.
> 
> The fucking orgasm didn’t do it.
> 
> *Am I stuck like this? Am I broken?*
> 
> And then, the thing Mollymauk dreaded drifted across his thoughts as innocently as a leaf caught in a summers breeze…
> 
> *Was Uk’otoa right?*
> 
> .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .  
> This chapter has a bunch of references to s3x, addiction and drug-use. As always- nothing too explicit, but be aware before reading.
> 
> Mollys song for this part of the story is: 'Lead Me Out of the Dark' by Crown The Empire
> 
> .  
> .

Chapter 15- Please?

Song: 'Lead Me Out of the Dark' Crown The Empire

_I'm moving on, I'll promise change  
If you will let me in again, I swear today  
I'll be a better man  
I'll be who I was then  
It's been a long two years  
I can't change the past  
I've shed so many tears  
Can't believe I've lasted this long  
I see now that I'm wrong  
The only way out of here  
Is the way I've avoided for all my life_

_You're the only one, please lead me out of the dark  
Please lead me out of the dark ___

__

__…_ _

__

__“Molly? What happened? Are you alright? Come in!”_ _

__Vax was worried. Dark hair was tousled around tired grey-tinged eyes. Had he slept? He was wearing those long robes, but he didn’t look rested at all._ _

__Gentle hands came to Molly, filled with care._ _

__Molly knew at once that he did not deserve it, but the moment he had set eyes on Vax a roar inside him had begun to ignite._ _

__“Vax-”_ _

__The roar was screaming for satisfaction._ _

__“Molly, I-”_ _

__But Molly had pressed their lips together._ _

__“Oh-” Vax remained where he stood, squeezing tight to Mollys hands as they kissed on._ _

__“Can I stay?”_ _

__A hot, breathless whisper into Vax’s throat._ _

__“Yes.”_ _

__The door was kicked closed behind them._ _

__“Yes, always, an eternity of yes.”_ _

__Molly was ushered down the still, silent hallways._ _

__The place was not even open for the day yet._ _

__“Is she up?”_ _

__They rounded a corner into a corridor lined with red roses._ _

__“Not for another hour. She will be pleased to see you.”_ _

__"Just us for a bit then, yeah?”_ _

__Vax opened a narrow door at the far end of the hall._ _

__“Of course.”_ _

__._ _

__The bass was dropped by the foot of the bed._ _

__The clothes were scattered across the floor._ _

__Molly seized a slender waist and pressed on._ _

__Vax stumbled as he was knocked backwards onto his sheets._ _

__“Molly! Fuck-”_ _

__“Fuck me.” Mol kissed the words into Vax’s mouth. “I need it. I need this.”_ _

__He’d been so close._ _

__So close before Lucien interrupted._ _

__This had to be the way._ _

__The way to feel good again._ _

__To make it all go away._ _

__“Of course, yes, fuck-”_ _

__Pale skin brushed with a subtle tan came free from the dark robes._ _

__Molly wanted to lap up every inch._ _

__He bathed in every catch of Vax’s breath. Every touch, every tingling movement under his fingers._ _

__“M-Molly-”_ _

__“C’mere.”_ _

__Vax melded with him so easily._ _

__In no time at all, Molly was hitting his stride once more, in almost the exact same position he had been earlier on, when Lucien burst into room 26._ _

__Vax was saying things._ _

__Yelling things._ _

__Biting words into Mollys flesh._ _

__Molly closed his eyes, reaching for it._ _

__He could almost taste that euphoria again._ _

__It was so close._ _

__It was all he needed to be real again._ _

__Vax could get him there._ _

__Vax._ _

__Vax with his raven hair._ _

__Vax with the eyes like misty diamonds._ _

__Vax with lips matching his._ _

__“Vax…”_ _

__“Molly, I’m going to- I’m going to-”_ _

__Red blotched eyes snapped open._ _

__Gods Vax looked immaculate._ _

__Every piece of him bare in thrills of joy._ _

__Molly wanted it._ _

__He wanted it so badly it hurt._ _

__*No.*_ _

__*No, no hurt, no!*_ _

__It hurt._ _

__It hurt and it blistered beneath his skin._ _

__Molly howled, desperation clawing at his voice as he drove Vax on, harder. Blocking out everything in his head._ _

__“Molly!”_ _

__“FUCK!”_ _

__“Fuck!”_ _

__“FHHUUCCKKK!”_ _

__Molly peaked and broke. Vax did the same and for one shining moment Molly thought his attempt had been successful._ _

__The sensation fell all over him._ _

__But…_ _

__“FUCKS SAKE!”_ _

__“Molly?”_ _

__“FUCK!”_ _

__“Molly, what is it?”_ _

__He shoved the covers off his feet and stood up, raising his hands to his face, grunting in frustration._ _

__“Was it not good?” Vax sounded far away. And very small._ _

__“Not enough!” Molly wailed. “Not enough! I’ve tried everything! Fuckin’ everything! Nothing’s WORKING!”_ _

__Vax was sitting on the edge of the mattress. The look he was giving Molly was heartbroken._ _

__“What are you trying to do?” He asked, calmly._ _

__Molly turned in a circle, kicking his discarded jeans._ _

__“Feel fuckin’ GOOD again!” He raged. “But I can’t! Or I won’t, somehow!”_ _

__

__The bedroom door opened._ _

__A beautiful pale face with ruby caressed lips appeared._ _

__“This is rather loud for so early in the morning.”_ _

__Vax lowered his head._ _

__“Sorry, my lady.”_ _

__Pale blue eyes turned to Mollymauk._ _

__“And what have you to say for yourself?”_ _

__“FUCK!” Molly sank to his knees, biting his lip._ _

__“Well, that certainly clears that up.” Lady Letherna scoffed._ _

__“I am going to make breakfast. Join me, both of you. Perhaps dressed.”_ _

__She was gone in a swish of a silk dressing gown._ _

__Vax looked down at the pile of clothes Molly had grabbed off his bedroom floor._ _

__“Are any of those clean?”_ _

__Molly shrugged._ _

__“Fuck it.”_ _

__He dragged over the nearest pair of jeans and pulled them on._ _

__

__*_ _

__

__The kitchen was bright and airy._ _

__Marble worktops were shined clean, the stove was full of pans sizzling and fresh coffee sat in two mugs waiting for them._ _

__Molly took a seat at the far end of the table, which ran nearly the full length of the room with seats enough for 12._ _

__He held the steaming mug and stared down into it, saying nothing._ _

__Vax greeted Letherna and took a chair halfway down the table._ _

__He did not look at Molly._ _

__Tiny bubbles drifted to the surface of the coffee. Mol watched them swirl and pop, swirl and pop._ _

__A plate was placed beside his elbow. Eggs, toast, bacon and beans wafted through Mol’s nostrils._ _

__He gagged._ _

__“Not hungry this morning?” Lady Letherna asked, sitting down opposite Vax with her own plate._ _

__Molly shook his head, holding his breath to try and block out the smell._ _

__“Well then, you can sit and talk to us while we eat.”_ _

__Icy eyes surveyed him. They bore straight into his guts and Molly swallowed._ _

__*She knows.*_ _

__

__Vax was picking at his own food. He kept repeatedly glancing up at Letherna, and Mol thought that he must be eating so that she would not be disappointed._ _

__A slither somewhere deep inside him wanted to do the same._ _

__But he was too pissed off to allow that piece of him any heading for the moment._ _

__He drummed angry fingernails on the coffee cup, grinding his teeth._ _

__The room fell quiet as the other two ate._ _

__Ticks sprang up throughout Mollys body._ _

__His foot began to twitch, catching the corner of the table leg._ _

__His fingernails tried to dig into the porcelain mug._ _

__His jaw clenched and unclenched, a twinge with every grind of his teeth._ _

__*What’s wrong with me?*_ _

__The question was seared through his mind. A great haunting mass unwavering, driving his desperation._ _

__The music didn’t do it._ _

__The high didn’t do it._ _

__The fucking orgasm didn’t do it._ _

__*Am I stuck like this? Am I broken?*_ _

__And then, the thing Mollymauk dreaded drifted across his thoughts as innocently as a leaf caught in a summers breeze…_ _

__*Was Uk’otoa right?*_ _

__

__Thankfully that idea had only a moment or two to toy with Mollys head before Lady Letherna set down her cutlery and spoke._ _

__“Come to me.”_ _

__Two heads shot up at once._ _

__The dark haired one was ready to stand, but Letherna was looking at the man with violet curls._ _

__“Here. Now, Molly.”_ _

__So he went to her._ _

__He walked slowly, dragging his feet on the tiled floor._ _

__When he reached her, Molly stood beside the chair, gaze fixed on his hands._ _

__“Kneel.”_ _

__Molly knelt._ _

__“Open your eyes properly.”_ _

__Lady Letherna pulled at his eyelids, leaning forward to inspect the blotched red._ _

__“Show me your arms.”_ _

__“My Lady, please d-”_ _

__“Show them to me.”_ _

__Molly held out his arms._ _

__Letherna lifted them close._ _

__She looked at the jabs in the skin of his elbows._ _

__She looked at the newly bruised veins._ _

__She lifted her attention to Mollys face._ _

__“You cannot stay here.”_ _

__“W-what?”_ _

__“You cannot stay.” Those ruby red lips repeated. “I will not have this in my home, nor my place of work. Whatever you are trying to get, you shall not find here.”_ _

__Molly reeled._ _

__“H-how did you know?”_ _

__“Know what?”_ _

__“I’m tryin’ to get… Tryin’ to feel it…”_ _

__“What exactly are you trying to get, Mollymauk?”_ _

__It was just a question, but it struck Molly around the heart with the force of a sledgehammer._ _

__“Better.” He whispered._ _

__“We held you.”_ _

__Letherna was rising from her seat._ _

__“We held you in grief, and we released you into joy.”_ _

__Molly shuffled backwards as she advanced towards him._ _

__“I did all that could be done for you, and believed we failed. We held you close. We let you grieve. We promised you safety. We were patient, the gods alone know just how very patient I was with you, Mollymauk. You were shattered into pieces but we would put you back together. We would have done all of that for you, but you ran. You ran back to the comfort of feeling nothing, of thinking nothing.”_ _

__Mollys scrambling hands met stone wall._ _

__He fell onto his back in the far corner of the kitchen._ _

__Vax had not looked up from his plate. The empty fork spun circles between his fingers._ _

__“I released you, I allowed you to leave my sight.” Letherna hissed. “I understood what you were going through. I made allowances. A year you spent, driving yourself further into the ground. But still we were patient. We knew you must come back to us, we knew you would suffer the grief and return to the land of the living. But you persisted.”_ _

__Silk brushed his toes._ _

__Lady Letherna crouched in front of Molly._ _

__“When we got word that your brother was alive, after all that time, we rejoiced for you. I sent Vax to inform you, but you discovered the truth for yourself. Still, I let you be free. Joy at last, and I did not send for you. I believed that in reunion you may find peace and strength. I believed you would come to pay your due. I was deceived.”_ _

__

__“I… I…” Molly had no answer for her._ _

__“Another year I granted you reprieve. A year, I hoped, would be time enough to reforge yourself. I deluded myself once again, thinking that your brother –the one you claimed to us was the other half of your very soul- he would be the thing to shake the addiction away. He would be enough, surely. Lucien alive and well again should surely have been the thing to make you stop.”_ _

__Letherna sighed deeply, and the sound brought pinpricks to the corners of Mollys eyes._ _

__“But, alas, once more, I was wrong. You have not resurfaced.”_ _

__Pale fingers clasped his jaw._ _

__“You are drowning, Mollymauk. There is none to blame but yourself. You have everything you wished for and you spite us all with this!”_ _

__A long nail poked sharply into the flesh of his elbow._ _

__Molly yelped._ _

__“And now the euphoria is wearing thin?”_ _

__It was not a question she sought an answer to._ _

__“You shall not quench that thirst here, do you understand me?”_ _

__Molly nodded._ _

__The hand at his jaw tightened._ _

__“You shall not set foot in my domain again unless you are rid of it.”_ _

__Molly blinked rapidly._ _

__“You shall not abuse my partner to satisfy an itch.”_ _

__

__A muffled sound rose from the other side of the kitchen._ _

__Letherna did not look around, but Molly saw._ _

__Vax had both of his hands clasped over his mouth. Red-rimmed eyes screwed shut. He was crying._ _

__“You shall not repay your debt like this. I will not accept it.”_ _

__“Wait, no!” Molly struggled to sit up._ _

__“I release you from my service.”_ _

__Lady Letherna released him from her grasp also._ _

__“Wait! Please, no! What about Luc?”_ _

__“What indeed.”_ _

__The woman was walking away._ _

__“No!”_ _

__The silk robe beamed in the light, as an arm came to rest around Vax’s shoulders._ _

__“Leave, Bloodhunter. We no longer have business with you here.”_ _

__Molly was on his feet, trembling._ _

__“Please? Please, I have to repay you. I owe you my life, for his life. I owe you…”_ _

__“Yes you do.”_ _

__“But-”_ _

__“I told you to leave.”_ _

__“I wanna repay you!”_ _

__“Then return to us as a better man! One who is ready and able to work, to build, to earn the payment they give! Only then will I accept you here again! Now LEAVE!”_ _

__

__This time, Molly took only his bass and what clothes he was wearing._ _

__

__*_ _

__

__The hoodie was all he knew, all that surrounded his fogged-out brain as he walked._ _

__And walked._ _

__And walked._ _

__*Gotta save Luc.*_ _

__*Gotta repay…*_ _

__*I owe my life for his.*_ _

__*I gotta be better…*_ _

__

__Staggering revelers from the night before wandered drunkenly past as Molly came onto the main strip of the clubbing district._ _

__Taxis honked and screeched past._ _

__Broken bottles lay smashed on the path._ _

__Someone was vomiting in the doorway of a bar._ _

__Molly stood stock still and looked all around him._ _

__*This ain’t what I want.*_ _

__He sniffed hard._ _

__*This ain’t workin’…*_ _

__His tongue was thick and heavy in his mouth._ _

__*I gotta get better.*_ _

__But how?_ _

__

__._ _

__

__._ _

__

__._ _

__

__Then it came to him._ _

__The idea came shimmering into his head and hung there like a golden ticket to salvation._ _

__Molly knew what he had to do._ _

__

__***_ _

__

__The casino was still quiet._ _

__The lights were on but only a handful of punters were inside, all sat at their favourite machines, blank faces watching the numbers scroll by hand over fist._ _

__Molly dragged his bass over the freshly cleaned carpet._ _

__He spotted his twin sat at the bar, nursing a large brandy._ _

__Yasha stood sentry beside him, a hand rubbing one of Luciens shoulder blades._ _

__Molly longed for one of Yasha’s amazing massages._ _

__But that would have to wait._ _

__A lot of things would have to wait._ _

__He had something to do now._ _

__He trudged the last few metres and called out,_ _

__“…Luc?”_ _

__The younger twin turned at once._ _

__“Molly, I told you to-”_ _

__“I know. I know and I will but… I… I need to borrow your phone.”_ _

__Twin pairs of crimson narrowed._ _

__“Why?”_ _

__“Call someone.”_ _

__“Call who?”_ _

__“Can I just borrow it, please?”_ _

__Lucien blinked._ _

__“Please, Luc?”_ _

__“Fine.”_ _

__Lucien held out the mobile to his brother._ _

__“Thanks.”_ _

__Molly took it, slinging his bass back over one shoulder as he stepped away from the two by the bar to flick through the Contacts list._ _

__*Bingo.*_ _

__

__Molly hit Dial._ _

__

__It rang._ _

__

__It rang._ _

__

__It rang._ _

__

__Then-_ _

__

__“Lucien. To what do I owe-”_ _

__“S’not Luc, is me.”_ _

__“Mollymauk?”_ _

__“Yeah.”_ _

__“Oh.”_ _

__“Did you really know someone what was like me?”_ _

__“Yes. I did.”_ _

__“Can we try again?”_ _

__“What? I do not have the energy for this, Mollymauk.”_ _

__“Please? Please? I need to. I need to try again. You’re the only one. You’re it. You’re my last shot. Please? I need to get outta the dark.”_ _

__

__There was a very long, pronounced pause._ _

__

__“Fine.”_ _

__“You mean it?!”_ _

__“I will pick you up in twenty minutes.”_ _

__“I’m at the casino.”_ _

__“Twenty minutes.”_ _

__“Thank-”_ _

__

__But Uk’otoa had hung up._ _

__

__***_ _


	16. Your Own Two Legs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> .
> 
> “You called Uk’otoa?!”  
> Lucien’s question carried across the bar in bewildered anger.
> 
> “Yeah.” Molly mumbled, fiddling with a loose thread in the strap on his guitar.
> 
> “Why?!”
> 
> Yasha still had a hand on Luciens shoulder.
> 
> “Cause… Cause I…”
> 
> “Because what, Molly?”
> 
> The older twin shuffled his feet.  
> “Cause he’s the only one what can help me.”
> 
> .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No warnings for this chapter. It's Bloodhunter so as usual there are references to drug-use.
> 
> The song for this chapter is 'Saviour' by Black Veil Brides
> 
> .  
> .

Chapter 16: Your Own Two Legs 

Song- ‘Saviour’ Black Veil Brides

_Remember as you learn to try  
To be the one you love  
So I can take this pen  
And teach you how to live  
What is left unsaid  
The greatest gift I give  
So hear my voice  
Remind you not to bleed  
I'm here ___

__

__…_ _

__

__“You called Uk’otoa?!”_ _

__Lucien’s question carried across the bar in bewildered anger._ _

__“Yeah.” Molly mumbled, fiddling with a loose thread in the strap on his guitar._ _

__“Why?!”_ _

__Yasha still had a hand on Luciens shoulder._ _

__“Cause… Cause I…”_ _

__“Because what, Molly?”_ _

__The older twin shuffled his feet._ _

__“Cause he’s the only one what can help me.”_ _

__“Help? Molly, I don’t understand.”_ _

__“Nor do I, Luc! But today it all went wrong. I can’t get… I dunno how to…”_ _

__*How to be happy*_ _

__*How to be your brother*_ _

__*How to be what everyone needs*_ _

__

__“I need to do it properly. He’s the only one what can do it.”_ _

__Lucien stood up, slipping down from the bar stool and coming to his twin, touching Mollys cheek._ _

__“You wanna get clean?” He asked._ _

__Molly nodded._ _

__Lucien sighed._ _

__“Well, we’ve walked this road before haven’t we, Molly.”_ _

__“I mean it this time.”_ _

__Luciens hand dropped as he snorted._ _

__“Yes and I’ve heard that before as well.”_ _

__“I mean it.”_ _

__“You said that at Christmas.”_ _

__“I… did?”_ _

__“Yup. You said you were going to get clean, you promised us a whole day. One whole day with nothing. Christmas fucking day.”_ _

__Molly watched his brother begin to pace in a slow circle around and around in front of him on the casino floor._ _

__“I decided to believe you. We all did. Caleb most of all. But then, he’d never seen you bullshit before so how could he know better?”_ _

__Mollymauk’s stomach tightened._ _

__“Do you even remember Christmas dinner?” Lucien threw at him._ _

__Molly stammered,_ _

__“I… I think so..?”_ _

__“What did we have then?”_ _

__“Uh…” Molly scrunched up his nose, trying to remember._ _

__The casino was covered in tinsel and lights. Humungous trees stood in every corner of the main floor. The staff wore red and green._ _

__Christmas songs played over the speakers._ _

__He cast his mind further, upstairs. Up into Luciens apartment._ _

__Christmas… Christmas…_ _

__“You had that reindeer thing. In the window.”_ _

__Lucien held up a finger._ _

__“Well done, one point. How about more than that?”_ _

__Molly chewed his liprings._ _

__“Uhhm… Caleb had a red jumper… with balls on.”_ _

__“Bells.” Lucien corrected._ _

__“Ohh… Fuck okay… uhm…”_ _

__“What did we have for Christmas dinner, Molly?”_ _

__

__._ _

__Lights shone, twinkling with the colours smudging the air. There was wine and wrapping paper all over the place._ _

__Molly was perched on the back of a chair at Luciens table._ _

__Caleb had Frumpkin on his lap._ _

__Yasha was wearing a new perfume._ _

__It filled Mollys lungs with vanilla._ _

__Lucien passed behind him, carrying a tray of… of…_ _

__._ _

__

__“Some bacony thing.” Molly muttered, closing his eyes, thinking back. “Like a big sausage roll but all out of bacon and summat else.”_ _

__“No.”_ _

__Lucien had stopped pacing._ _

__“No. That’s what I made. What did we actually eat for Christmas dinner?”_ _

__Molly frowned._ _

__“Whadda you mean? We ate that. I remember. Whole table was covered in stuff. Carrots and gravy and potatoey things.”_ _

__Lucien shoved him hard in the chest._ _

__“No, Molly! None of us got to eat any of that! You fucked everything up! You promised me one day! One day and you couldn’t even give me three hours!”_ _

__“I don’t…”_ _

__“CREE, MOLLY!” Lucien roared._ _

__Mollys eyes flew open._ _

__“Cree was there?”_ _

__“YES!”_ _

__Molly was stunned._ _

__“I don’t… I don’t…”_ _

__“No, you don’t remember! Of course you don’t fucking remember!”_ _

__Yasha stepped in, gently pulling Lucien away from Molly and whispering something soft in his ear._ _

__“He needs to know.” Lucien growled, standing back, allowing Yasha to keep him there._ _

__“What did I do?” Molly asked very quietly._ _

__“You invited your dealer girlfriend, and she brought you a nice fucking hit for Christmas.”_ _

__Molly stared._ _

__“I…”_ _

__“Then you decided things weren’t quite Merry enough and you trashed the fucking place.”_ _

__“…I…”_ _

__“You were a fucking mess. You tried to get up and dance on the bloody table and wrecked all the food. You broke four chairs and threw my tv out of the window.”_ _

__“I what?”_ _

__“None of that ringing a bell?”_ _

__Molly was horrified._ _

__“…No…”_ _

__“I chucked your fucking girlfriend out and told you never to bring her back. We cleaned up while you passed out on the floor.”_ _

__“Luc… I’m… I’m s-”_ _

__“And then we had dinner. Do you remember what we really had for Christmas dinner, Molly?!”_ _

__Lucien was yelling now._ _

__Molly shook his head._ _

__“Chinese takeaway from down the fucking road! That Caleb paid for!”_ _

__

__A silence fell._ _

__It rang in Mollys ears._ _

__It drained the blood from his face._ _

__He wanted to shrivel up into a ball and wither away into the dirt._ _

__“Luc… I’m sorry…”_ _

__A snort was his only reply._ _

__Then something struck Molly. A thought he hardly dared voice, but something spurred him on._ _

__“Did you let me eat with you?”_ _

__“What?”_ _

__“After all that crap. You let me eat with you, right?”_ _

__“Yes. Of course we did.”_ _

__Molly took a step closer to his brother._ _

__“Why?”_ _

__Lucien seemed to both inflate with rage and sag under some exasperation.  
“Because you’re family and it was Christmas.”_ _

__That confirmed what Molly already knew._ _

__“I’m gonna do this. I’m gonna get clean. Properly. For real.”_ _

__Lucien took a long deep breath._ _

__“Look, I’m not going to pretend I believe you or anything, Mol. But… if you want to try then we can help. Here. You can do it here with me.”_ _

__“No…” Molly whispered. Something stung his eyes as he raised them to lock with Luciens. Twin red meeting twin red. “I can get round you guys, I always could. You care about me too much, Luc. You let me sweet-talk round you and then I’m back out there usin’ and messin’ everything up again. I love you, Luc, but that’s the problem.”_ _

__Lucien’s eyebrows creased._ _

__“Rehab then? I’ll pay. We could find you the best places with the best people and-”_ _

__“Rehab is just a social club for finding more people to supply when they get out.”  
Uk’otoa was striding towards them._ _

__His shirt was rich navy today. His salt and peppered hair swept back, and an expression of grim resignation rested on his face._ _

__“Good morning.” Lucien spoke at once. “Sorry to drag you out of bed at this hour.”_ _

__Uk’otoa inclined his head to the younger Tealeaf._ _

__“No trouble at all. Unless it turns out to be a waste of my time.”_ _

__The last part he shot at Molly._ _

__“It won’t be.”_ _

__“Good. Let’s go then.”_ _

__“Hold on-” Lucien reached for his brother. “This is real, Mol? Really real, right?”_ _

__“Yuh.”_ _

__Lucien turned to Uk’otoa._ _

__“How long will it take?”_ _

__The man shrugged._ _

__“Could be a week. Could be a month. It all depends on him.”_ _

__Molly gulped._ _

__Then Lucien was hugging him close and everything went still._ _

__“I believe in you, Mol.” There it was again. Their secret language. Jumbled words and fragments of sense slipped through Mollys ear into his heart and he pulled his twin in tight to him._ _

__Yasha stepped up and enfolded both men in her arms. Her face was set.  
“He comes back unharmed.” She said to Uk’otoa._ _

__The man nodded curtly.  
“Scouts honour.”_ _

__

__It was another five minutes before Lucien let go of Molly._ _

__Molly, for his part, clung onto his brother for as long as he could. Every second repairing a tiny piece of him where the fear was threatening to creep back in._ _

__But all too soon, they were apart._ _

__Uk’otoa had Molly walk ahead of him as they departed the casino, stepping out into the glinting daylight of city streets._ _

__“Didn’t you drive?” Molly asked, looking around for signs of a vehicle._ _

__“I had Lisa drop the car back at the docks.” Uk’otoa said simply, pressing Molly on as they headed down the road._ _

__“What, fancied a tour?”_ _

__“No.”_ _

__Molly chanced a look over his shoulder._ _

__The taller, broader, older man was walking at his leisure. Seemingly untroubled. But he was watching Molly with intensity._ _

__“So… what then?”_ _

__“I need to see this for myself.”_ _

__“See what?”_ _

__“See you walk. All the way to my ship. Do that without me kidnapping you. Without me dragging you kicking and screaming. Do it without trying to back out or run. Then I might just believe you.”_ _

__Metal rings clinked between Mollys teeth._ _

__So it was a test then?_ _

__He had to prove it._ _

__No going back, no looking over the shoulder for reassurance. He had to make this journey alone._ _

__*Fuck, like that show… What was it? In that tiny theatre last summer. Some guy with a flower and a guitar… Fuck I don’t remember. But he had to walk. And didn’t he fuck it up? Yeah didn’t he turn round and get killed or something? Well…*_ _

__Molly decided.  
*I’m not looking back.*_ _

__Alright._ _

__Crimson eyes scanned the horizon, finding the speck of blue which marked the docks off on the other side of Nicodranas._ _

__Molly began to walk._ _

__*_ _


End file.
